TheRightForWorkingPeopletoOrganizeinPublicandPrivate

Sectors,EspeciallyinOnDemandEconomyJobs

Whatistheproblem?
Therighttonegotiatecollectivelyintheworkplaceisafundamentalblocktobuilding
Blackeconomicpowerandbuildingstrong,stablecommunities.Researchandhistory
showthatoneofthesurestwaysforBlackfolkstoclimboutofpovertyisthroughjoining
togetherinunion.Intheory,therighttoorganizeisprotectedbytheNationalLabor
RelationsAct(NLRA),butinpracticetheNLRAfallsshortofmanythings.Inorderto
buildpowerforBlackpeopleandBlackcommunitiesinthelongterm,anexpandedand
enforcedrighttojointogetherandnegotiatecollectivelyisarguablythemost
fundamentaldemandthatwemustmakeandwin.
Righttoworklawsprohibitunionsfromcollectingduesfrommembers,essentially
dampeningthepowerofunionsofworkingpeopletoeffectivelyoperate.
MultibilliondollarcorporationssuchasUberandLyftareprofitingintheondemand
economyandexploitingworkingpeoplebyavoidingthecoreresponsibilitiesthat
companieshavetoworkers.
ThewaytheNLRAisinterpretedandenforced,doeslittletodeterfirmsfromabusing
workingpeoplewhotrytoorganize.
Thelawsthatarecurrentlyonthebooksarealsopoorlyenforced.
Whatdoesthissolutiondo?
Allowsallworkingpeoplethefreedomtojointogethertonegotiateforafairreturnon
theirwork.
Allowsmandatedpayrolldeduction.
Prohibitsstatesfrompassingrighttoworklawsandrepealsallexistingrighttowork
laws.

Federalaction:
Target:U.S.Congress,largeemployersofBlackworkers(i.e.Walmart,McDonalds)and
industryactorsinsectorswithdenseBlackemployment(i.e.NationalRestaurant
Association,NationalRetailFederation)
Thisdemandmustbefoughtforbothatthefederallevel,becausetheNLRAwhich
governswhohasetherighttoorganizeandwhodoesntisafederallawthat
preemptsmoststateandlocaleffortsatsecuringtherighttoorganize,aswellaswithin
thenationalfootprintoftargetedemployersandindustryactors.
Inaddition,toensurethatBlackpeopleandotherswhoaretraditionallyexcludedare
includedinNLRAprotections,thelegalframeworkofbargainingmustexpandfarbeyond
theNLRAtosupportaclimateforfairnegotiationsandtobuildoursharedpower.
Sinceitissometimescheaperforemployerstoviolatethelawthantoobeyit,itis
necessarytoputagreatercostonviolatorsofthelaw.Intheory,theNLRAprotectsthe
humanrightsofworkers,butinpracticeitissetupinanunenforceableway.Section7

needstobeenforcedinawaywhereitisnotadvantageousforemployerstobreakthe
rules.1
Misclassificationofworkersmustbefixed.Misclassificationresultswhenemployers
intentionallyclassifies(orreclassifies)thepeoplewhoworkforthemasindependent
contractorstoavoidresponsibilityorliabilityforbasiclegal,employmentandcivilrights
protections.

StateAction:
Moststatelevelreformstoprotectandexpandtherightofpeopletocometogetherto
negotiatecollectivelyarepreemptedbytheNLRA.JobsWithJusticeisexploringalocal
policyinitiativethatwouldfinelargeemployerswhorefusetoofferfamilysustainingjobs
andallowworkingpeopletocollectivelynegotiatewiththestateoverhowtoallocatethe
proceeds.2 Theydefinethisasanewapproachtobargaining.

Howdoesthissolutionaddressthespecificneedsofsomeofthemostmarginalized
Blackpeople?

ModelLegislation
EmployeeFreeChoiceAct(failed)
EmployeeEmpowermentAct(addressessomeofthis,butnotall)
WAGEAct

OrganizationsCurrentlyWorkingonPolicy:
AFLCIO
ServiceEmployeesInternationalUnion
NationalEmploymentLawProject
Thislistisbynomeansexhaustive

Authors&ContributorsofthisPolicyOverview
EricaSmiley,JobsWithJustice
StevenPitts,NationalBlackWorkersCenter
DeAngeloBester,WorkersCenterForRacialJustice
KarlKumodzi,Blackbird,BlackYouthProject100

Compa,Lance.www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/programs/nao/LanceCompa.htm

http://portside.org/20151026/finingmcwalmartchargingemployerssocialcostspovertywages