When U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner authored the landmark law securing workers’ right to unionize, his administrative assistant wrote: “The legislation was opposed by organized industry with a force and fervor and expenditure of funds perhaps unparalleled.”

90 years later, the billionaire class and their allies continue to attack the rights and protections afforded by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) with unparalleled force and fervor.

In recent years, anti-union companies have seen the conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court as an opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), with the hopes that it will bring down the nation’s system of labor laws. As these cases move through the courts, corporate allies in D.C. are dismantling the NLRB from within. All the while, unionization efforts and contract negotiations across Pennsylvania and the country are being drawn out and delayed. For instance, Whole Foods workers in Philadelphia voted to unionize in January, but their election has yet to be certified, and the Amazon-owned company is fighting to block the effort.

Given the volatility at the federal level, Senators Saval, Williams, Collett and I plan on introducing legislation that allows Pennsylvania to step in and protect workers’ right to join a union and collectively bargain with their employers.

Since the early 1700s, Pennsylvania’s workers have stood at the forefront of the nation’s most pivotal labor struggles, including the fight for the right to unionize. We encourage you to honor this legacy, stand with our workers, and co-sponsor this important legislation.