FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, February 28, 2023 - Today, Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) introduced the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan PRO Act will ensure that professionals covered by the National Labor Relations Act can exercise their right to join together in union and negotiate collectively with their employers by restoring the original intent of the law. Department for Professionals Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the introduction of the PRO Act: 

“I’m excited the PRO Act has been introduced in both houses of Congress. I thank Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders for introducing this critical, bipartisan piece of workers’ rights legislation, and I applaud those members of Congress joining them as co-sponsors.

Working people across the country, including professionals, are organizing unions and exercising their workplace rights in numbers not seen in decades. Professionals have won union elections in historically unorganized industries and sectors, including at tech companies, digital media organizations, and nonprofits. Through their unions, professionals are raising standards by securing meaningful pay increases and fostering equitable workplaces. Nonunion professionals have taken notice, and according to DPE’s recent survey a strong majority want to join a union. However, many professionals struggle to exercise their workplace rights because of outdated labor laws. Employers too often spread misinformation, intimidate workers, and retaliate against workplace leaders during union organizing campaigns. Additionally, when professionals prevail in their union elections, employers, in many cases, intentionally delay first contract negotiations, which today take on average 465 days to complete. The PRO Act will create mechanisms to hold employers accountable when they break the law, provide for free and fair union elections, and ensure professionals can reach a first contract quickly after their union is recognized. Passing the PRO Act is needed to allow more professionals to improve their workplaces and create good, family-supporting careers. 

I strongly urge the House and Senate to send the PRO Act to the President’s desk where it will be signed into law to ensure working people can exercise their basic right to join together in union and restore fairness to our economy.”

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.