Ben Cline on Jobs

Bar requiring prevailing wage on public works projects

Analysis by Progress Virginia: Requiring employers to pay their employees the prevailing wage guarantees firms will compete for public works contracts on the basis of the skills and acumen they bring to the table. Otherwise, firms would be more likely to compete by trying to pay their labor force as low a wage as they can get away with.

Veto message : This legislation attempts to lower wages and impedes future labor agreements. Virginia's efforts should be focused on increasing wages, rather than placing artificial restrictions on their future earning potential.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 67-32-1 on Feb/10/15; State Delegate Ben Cline co-sponsored bill and voted YES; Passed Senate 21-18-1 on Feb/24/15; Vetoed by Governor Terry McAuliffe on Mar/27/15.

Keep Right-to-Work laws.

H.R.842 & S.420: Protecting the Right to Organize Act: This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace:

1. revises the definitions of employee, supervisor, and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards;
2. permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and
3. prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes.

Biden Administration in SUPPORT: The Administration strongly supports The PRO Act. America was not built by Wall Street. It was built by the middle class, and unions built the middle class. Unions put power in the hands of workers. H.R. 842 would strengthen and protect workers' right to form a union by assessing penalties on employers who violate workers' right to organize.

Rep. Mo Brooks in OPPOSITION: H.R. 842 [is] a radical union bill that tramples the rights of citizens by forcing them to enter into union servitude, including:

• Overturns right-to-work laws in 27 states, thereby forcing citizens, against their will, to pay millions of dollars in dues to labor unions.
• Denies citizens' rights to vote by secret ballot on whether to join a union by imposing a biased "card-check" scheme.
• Deprives individuals of entrepreneurial opportunities. The PRO Act would eliminate the franchise industry and sharing economy as we know them.