GOP lawmakers introduce bill to require union recertification

by Sean Higgins | Nov 9, 2017 – Washington Examiner —

The legislation would allow workers to petition their union to hold a recertification vote whenever its membership has had more than 50 percent turnover from the last union election. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The legislation, titled the Current Employee Representation Act, would allow workers to petition their union to hold a recertification vote whenever its membership has had more than 50 percent turnover from the last union election. It also would allow management to initiate decertification votes, a significant departure from existing law.

“The Current Employee Representation Act will provide union members more representation, as their views may differ from decisions made decades ago especially in the rapidly modernizing workforce of today. This legislation also gives union employees more power to be heard and hold the higher-up decision makers within unions more accountable to the rank and file,” said Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., chief sponsor of the legislation. Co-sponsors include Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C.

The legislation is part of a broader effort by Republicans and conservatives to rewrite federal labor law by emphasizing individual worker rights and giving them more options to say no to joining or working with unions. The effort likely would weaken labor organizations by draining them of members and dues money.