You knew (or at least should have known) that they were going to be coming for you the moment the Democrats took over both chambers of Congress and the White House. If we’re to be surprised at anything in this announcement, it’s that they waited an entire three weeks before doing it. House and Senate Democrats have reintroduced the PRO ACT, legislation designed to eradicate right-to-work laws in the more than half of the states that have enacted such legislation over the years. The bill, which has virtually no bipartisan support, would bring back mandatory unionization for pretty much every person who wants to be employed, impose mandatory wage confiscation for “dues” and eliminate an untold number of jobs. Small businesses would be hit the hardest, with many of them likely being forced to close after their labor costs are driven through the roof. (Washington Examiner)

U.S. House and Senate Democrats have reintroduced the PRO ACT, a sweeping pro-union bill that would wipe out right-to-work labor laws in 27 states.

Democrats argue the PRO Act will create safer workplaces and increase employee benefits by expanding union organizing. Those opposed to it argue it will force small businesses to close, cost an untold number of jobs and worsen the economy, and “impose a laundry list of other union boss power grabs.”

A version of the bill was introduced in 2018 and 2019 and the Democratic-controlled House passed a version of the bill along partisan lines in 2019.

The details of the bill are just as draconian as they were the last time the Democrats tried to ram this through. If passed, the NLRB would immediately gain the power to impose fines on any business that “violate workers’ rights,” with those “rights” being defined by union bosses. The NLRB could also unilaterally overturn any workplace election when deciding issues of representation if the unions don’t like the outcome.

Employers would be further hobbled not only by strikes but by union representatives organizing “secondary boycotts” of the business that employs them. On top of that, the unions would be able to demand and collect “fair share” fees from the company. And, of course, everyone’s paychecks would be garnished for dues that would immediately be put back into the coffers of the Democrats who the unions help elect.

There’s no question that Joe Biden would sign such a bill if it were passed. He’s already demonstrated that he prioritizes the will of the nation’s teachers’ unions over “following the science” or listening to his own medical experts at the CDC. As with most every election, labor unions flushed millions of dollars into Biden’s campaign and the liberal PACs that helped fuel him. Now they want to be repaid for their support and the Democrats are lining up to do their bidding.

What’s not clear is if there are enough votes in either chamber to drag this beast over the finish line. 27 states have passed right-to-work laws at this point and a lot of them have elected at least some Democrats to both chambers. West Virginia easily passed its own RTW law in 2016. Will Joe Manchin go along with this? So did Arizona. Will Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema repay the voters who narrowly elected them by trashing their right-to-work law? The list goes on.

If there was ever one issue where the Republicans in both chambers need to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder in opposition to the Democrats, this is it. If they can’t manage to hold the line on this issue, there’s really no point in keeping the party together.