Despite what you hear on the news and the partisan bickering and finger pointing, Unions and Union workers have benefited under the Biden/Harris Administration. Here are some of the highlights:
Created Jobs for Laborers with Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create hundreds of thousands of good union jobs, provide clean drinking water, upgrade our roads, airport, transit, and rail, and invest in new electric vehicle infrastructure. The legislation invests 1.2 trillion, which more than doubles existing funding and represents the single largest investment in transportation since the interstate highway system was built. This historic investment in American’s infrastructure includes strong prevailing wage standards for construction work that will ensure family-supporting union jobs. The federal government has already announced over $4 billion in investment that is headed to Nevada.
Appointed a LIUNA Member to Lead the Department of Labor and Acted Aggressively to Protect Workers – President Biden appointed card-carrying laborer, Marty Walsh, to lead the US Department of Labor, as well as appointing laborer Jessica Looman to head to the DOL Wage and Hour Division. Under Marty’s leadership and with the President’s support, the DOL is aggressively enforcing prevailing wage laws and ensuring that construction workers are not short-changed of their hard-earned pay. Under the Administration, employers who violate labor laws, participate in wage theft, or misclassify employees as independent contractors, will be punished.
Protected Pensions, Retirement Security for Millions of Workers – President Biden’s action on a final rule through the American Rescue Plan’s Special Finance Assistance will protect the retirement security of millions of Americans including LIUNA retirees, beneficiaries and members. With the support of this Administration, millions of retirees – including thousands of LIUNA retirees – and beneficiaries can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they will still receive their full pensions and be able to retire in dignity after a lifetime of hard work.
Protecting LIUNA Apprenticeship – At the direction of President Biden, The Department of Labor completely rescinded the Trump regulations that allowed for the creation of private industry-controlled apprenticeships called IRAPS. As long as these IRAPs existed there would have been a risk in the future of changes that would allow them to undermine our LIUNA Registered Apprenticeships in the construction sector.
Mandated Worker Friendly PLAs on Federal Projects – President Biden issued an Executive Order requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal infrastructure projects. The PLA requirement will help LIUNA members, and all workers, both union and non-union by setting good wages, promoting strong health and safety standards, and ensuring that large-scale federal projects are completed on time and with the highest degree of quality and efficiency.
Ensured Investment in Manufacturing Creates Good Prevailing Wage Jobs – President Biden and Congressional Democrats made historic progress creating good jobs with passage of the CHIPS Act. The CHIPS Act addresses long-standing underinvestment in our nation’s manufacturing and research and development capabilities, and strengthens our technology infrastructure. Federal incentives in CHIPS also requires prevailing wages when building semiconductor manufacturing plants – ensuring that the hundreds of thousands of construction jobs created will provide middle-class family-sustaining wages.
Got Americans Back to Work, Provided Relief to American Families with Children – President Biden has added 6.4 million jobs – the most ever in one year—and managed the fastest growing economy in decades. Recent weekly unemployment claims are down near a level not seen since 1969. President Biden also passed the American Rescue Plan, which led to a drop in the child poverty rate and a reduction in the unemployment rate, down to 3.9%- four years faster than projected.
Bolstered Domestic Manufacturing – President Biden increased the competitiveness of the U.S. economy by finalizing the most significant changes to Buy American in almost 70 years. He directed federal dollars to U.S. manufacturers by creating the first-ever Made in America Office. Under his Made in America Executive Order, federal purchases will help to bolster domestic manufacturing and manufacturing supply chains, and support good-paying, union jobs.
Expanded Affordable Health Care – President Biden increased the number of Americans with health care coverage to the highest number ever, lowered the co-pays that many Americans pay, and slashed premiums for Millions.