IBEW Local 613 wants to congratulate Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock, who are both supporters of labor unions, on their recent victories in the Jan. 5 runoff elections.
The two Democrat victories create a 50-50 split in the U.S. Senate. Once President-Elect Biden is inaugurated, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be the tie-breaking vote in the Senate, giving Democrats the slimmest margins of control.
The efforts by union members and their families across the state played a critical role in the outcome of the recent elections -- for both President and Senate. We want to take the time to thank our Brothers and Sisters for their hard work.
It is our hope that these new newly elected individuals will go to Washington D.C. with the labor community in mind and advance a labor-friendly agenda.
We have heard many promises such as increased spending on infrastructure, which will create countless jobs for union members in Georgia and throughout the country and other legislation to support and encourage union growth in America.
The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act should be at the forefront of the 2021 agenda. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives, but was not brought to a Senate vote when Sen. Mitch McConnell was the majority leader.
This legislation is crucial, as it strengthens the labor movement. The PRO Act establishes penalties for employers who terminate employees involved in union activity, streamlines the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process, addresses workers misclassified as independent contractors and more.
Finally, Ossoff and the Rev. Warnock will be crucial in the confirmation of President-elect Biden’s cabinet picks, such as Boston Mayor and Laborers International Union of North America member Marty Walsh, who is nominated to be the next Secretary of Labor.
Comments