Sherrill, Fitzpatrick, Hayes Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Labor Unions on Workforce Boards
WASHINGTON, DC — Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) reintroduced the Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act, bipartisan legislation to expand labor union participation on state and local workforce boards that allocate labor development and job training funds.
The Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act is the first pillar in Rep. Sherrill’s Expanding Economic Opportunities in New Jersey Agenda, a legislative package she is beginning to introduce to bring back good-paying jobs to the Garden State, support businesses and the workforce, and make New Jersey a global hub of cutting-edge research and innovation.
“Unions built the American middle class and continue to support New Jersey families with good wages and fair working conditions. However, I hear too often from our unions that low-quality workforce training programs are hurting workers and setting projects back. I am reintroducing the Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act to ensure that labor unions can have more of a say in how federal workforce training funds are allocated. With this bill, we can make sure that New Jerseyans get first-rate job training that will lead to good-paying job opportunities, while building the innovative projects that will launch New Jersey’s economy into the future,” said Rep. Sherrill.
“Labor unions have been unjustly sidelined for far too long in critical decisions about workforce funding and training—decisions that directly impact their members’ livelihoods and opportunities,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1). “Our bipartisan Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act corrects this imbalance by increasing labor representation on workforce boards and ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested where they matter most: in empowering workers and strengthening our economy. I will always have the backs of the hardworking men and women of PA-1 and across this nation who are the driving force behind our country’s prosperity.”
"Workforce development programs connect workers with good-paying jobs and address labor shortages. To ensure these programs fulfill the needs of workers, labor unions must be represented on state and local workforce boards," said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05). "This bipartisan legislation will help amplify the voices of workers in decision making that directly impacts their communities."
The bill has also been endorsed by the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
A Workforce Development Board acts like a Board of Directors for a region’s job training system; it determines the needs of the local job market and employers, delivers resources to those looking for work, oversees One-Stop Career Centers, and manages workforce investment programs in the community. Other members on these boards include employers, educators, and local government officials.
Sherrill’s Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act will expand labor representation on state and local workforce development boards from 20% to 30% of board positions. It will also add a definition of “labor organization” to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that allocates federal job training resources, to ensure that workforce funding is going toward legitimate labor groups.
Rep. Sherrill is a fierce advocate for organized labor as a member of the Labor Caucus and as a granddaughter of a UAW worker. Rep. Sherrill is a strong advocate for the landmark Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which will expand collective bargaining rights nationwide and crack down on labor violations. She worked hard to secure critical prevailing wage requirements and labor protections within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act. Last year, as a member of the newly created House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, Rep. Sherrill introduced the American Jobs and Competition Plan — which aims to strengthen U.S. economic and national security and level the global playing-field for American workers and businesses.
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