Because of the National Labor Relations Act, most American workers have the freedom to organize into unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, hours and working conditions. This protection applies to employees of many tribal-owned and -operated businesses.
But a union-busting bill in Congress would deny these basic on-the-job rights to the hundreds of thousands of workers employed by Native enterprises, including casinos, mining operations, power plants, saw mills, construction companies, ski resorts, high-tech firms, hotels and spas.
If H.R. 511 passes as proposed, workers will be left without any legally enforceable right to form unions and bargain collectively. The National Labor Relations Board would lose jurisdiction on disputes between tribal businesses and their workers. The bill would apply to both Native American and non-Native Americans employed by Tribal enterprises.
“The IAM firmly believes that workers all over the world have the right of association, to organize, and to bargain collectively,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger in a letter to Congress. “H.R. 511 would undermine these fundamental workplace rights while not providing for any alternative method of worker representative. For these reasons, I urge you to uphold worker rights and vote against H.R. 511.”
Tell your members of Congress to oppose the dubiously-named Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, H.R. 511.
