Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this misnamed bill, which would promote neither democracy nor fairness in the workplace. Now, I have just been on this floor a few minutes, but it is ironic that I have heard speaker after speaker in favor of this bill but who vote consistently against working men and women's right to organize and bargain collectively.

Ironic, perhaps, the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively for better and fairer conditions has been protected by our laws since the era of the New Deal, which was opposed by so many.

This legislation is part of an agenda, frankly, that the Republican Party continues to pursue, which no economist believes creates jobs in the coming year. This bill before us won't do anything to help the economy or create jobs, period; and it places obstacles in front of workers seeking to exercise their right to organize.

I want to point out to my friends that interestingly enough, in terms of trying to protect elections, there's all about you can't have an election before, but there's nothing in this legislation you have to have an election by. That would perhaps be more credible, if it said not sooner than this, but not later than this.

That would show that you really wanted to pursue elections for working men and women so they could organize and bargain collectively for pay and benefits and working conditions.

But it doesn't say that. It says you simply can't have it before. It never says you have to have it. It never says you can't delay it by suit after suit after suit. It never says you've got to get to issue. It never says you've got to give the employees the right by a certain date.

The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. HOYER. This bill before us won't do anything to help the economy or create jobs, as I said. I continue to have the strongest faith in the American worker, that they are the most talented and most productive in the world. We should not be rolling back their protections. Instead, we should focus on helping to get more Americans back to work.

And as for the NLRB, the real trauma is it is now a pro-worker and employer NLRB, as opposed to simply a pro-employer NLRB. That's the problem you have.

The courts ought to ensure equal treatment. The NLRB ought to ensure equal treatment. It has not been doing that for some period of time; and now, in my view, it is. God bless them. That's what they should do.

Employers and employees ought to get a fair shake and a fair election, and I agree with that premise. Timing is obviously of concern to both parties. I would hope we would defeat this bill, and then if we want to talk about assuring elections, let us do so to protect democracy and protect workers.

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