Using the Pandemic as an Excuse to Break Unions

It appears that many corporations are using the pandemic to flex their anti-union muscles by locking out union members and calling in nonunion workers as replacements.  “Lockouts are an economic weapon employers’ use to take the initiative in collective bargaining,” said Alex Colvin, dean of the school of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University. “During the pandemic, lockouts pose a greater threat to unions due to the high unemployment rate and greater availability of replacement workers.”

Essential workers throughout the country are feeling the effects of the pandemic which is why it has never been more important to have a president that respects workers at every level of our society.  President Biden has already issued numerous executive orders reversing some of the anti-worker policies implemented by the Trump administration and replacing the anti-worker Trump appointments at the Department of Labor with labor leaders.    

As president, Joe Biden has vowed to sign the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) which would be a major step in increasing union membership.  Not only would it increase penalties for companies that interfere with organizing drives it would offer new protections to the striking workers and establish a process for unions and the company to reach their first collective bargaining agreement.  President Biden is not messing around with anti-worker holdovers from the Trump administration.  He gives them the choice of resigning or being terminated and has not hesitated to tell them “your fired”. 

While some in the labor movement are frustrated with President Biden’s decision to end the Keystone Pipeline, be patient.  President Biden is preparing to submit an infrastructure and jobs proposal that will create thousands of union jobs for years to come.