(WASHINGTON) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters applauds the call on Congress to pass the PRO Act during President Biden’s State of the Union address. New labor legislation that puts the needs of working people ahead of corporations was mentioned throughout the speech, including bipartisan antitrust legislation to rein in the power of Big Tech bullies like Amazon. But such laws must be passed and enacted to actually turn the tide in the battle against corporate greed.

“President Biden is putting the needs of working people at the center of public debate and Congress needs to meet this moment to repair labor laws in this country,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President. “Bad actors like Amazon have been allowed to flout our nation’s labor and antitrust laws with impunity, running roughshod over honest businesses and their workers. Thanks to our current administration and labor climate, protections for working people are receiving a brighter spotlight and government officials today would be fools to let this chance to invest in the working class pass us by.

“As the President said in his State of the Union address, the time for robust labor and antitrust reform is now. Congress must work to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and give workers the protections to more easily organize their unions. Lawmakers also must pass the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) to rein in unfair business practices by white collar crime syndicates known as Corporate America. After decades of inaction and erosion on Capitol Hill, America’s labor laws are weak, but the Teamsters will continue to lead the charge to strengthen and improve them.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

###

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via email