Labor & Employment (Collective Bargaining)

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 2, 2025

SB 651: A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for workers' rights.

SB 651 is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution to establish "Workers' rights." This amendment would grant employees the fundamental right to organize and collectively bargain through representatives of their choice regarding wages, hours, working conditions, and workplace safety. It specifies that no law can diminish these rights, including those that prohibit agreements requiring union membership as a condition of employment. If passed by the General Assembly twice, this proposed amendment would then be put before Pennsylvania voters for approval.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentConstitutional amendment establishing workers' right to organize/bargain on wages/safety, prohibiting laws that diminish these rights including union membership requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Workplace Safety

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 588: An Act establishing the Prevailing Wage Co-Enforcement Program; and providing for duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and participants in the Prevailing Wage Co-Enforcement Program.

SB 588 establishes a new Prevailing Wage Co-Enforcement Program within Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry. The program authorizes trained volunteers (called "program participants") to monitor public construction projects for violations of the existing Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act, which requires contractors to pay local prevailing wages. Key mechanisms include volunteers conducting site visits, interviewing workers, and reporting violations to the Department under strict guidelines (e.g., wearing ID badges, submitting reports within 48 hours, and avoiding union-related activities). This directly affects public construction workers, contractors working on public projects, and the Department of Labor, which oversees the program. The bill does not change prevailing wage rates but creates a new enforcement tool for the Department.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnforces prevailing wage law on public projects, requiring contractors to pay local standard wages, directly protecting workers' compensation rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 24, 2025

HB 1029: An Act amending the act of June 1, 1937 (P.L.1168, No.294), known as the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act, further providing for definitions; providing for notice and regulations; further providing for unfair labor practices and for representatives and elections; providing for initial collective bargaining agreement; further providing for prevention of unfair labor practices and for penalties; and imposing penalties.

HB 1029 amends Pennsylvania's 1937 Labor Relations Act to clarify worker protections and union election processes. It defines "employe" more broadly (excluding independent contractors) and bans agreements that prevent workers from joining class or collective lawsuits. Employers must post notices about labor rights and provide detailed voter lists for union elections within two business days of a board order. The bill also adds new unfair labor practices, including coercing workers to sign agreements that limit their right to pursue collective claims. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania workers, employers, and labor organizations involved in union representation efforts.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends labor relations act to broaden worker protections, ban anti-lawsuit agreements, mandate labor rights notices, and add penalties for coercion/coercive practices, directly strengthening worker rights and collective bargaining.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 9, 2025

SR 123: A Resolution designating the week of June 9 through 13, 2025, as "Union Organizing Week" in Pennsylvania, in honor of those workers who have fought for their right to organize and bargain collectively at their workplace.

This resolution designates June 9-13, 2025, as "Union Organizing Week" in Pennsylvania. It symbolically honors workers who advocate for collective bargaining rights and fair workplace conditions, without creating new laws or altering existing policies. The resolution acknowledges the role of unions in improving wages, safety, and equity while recognizing workers' right to choose unionization. It is purely ceremonial and does not affect employers, workers, or labor regulations.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentDesignates 'Union Organizing Week' to honor collective bargaining rights, symbolically supporting workers' right to organize without legal effect.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 31, 2025

SB 961: An Act prohibiting certain practices and discrimination by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions under contracts for public works; and providing for a private right of action.

SB 961, the Freedom in Public Contracting Act, prohibits Pennsylvania state and local governments from requiring contractors on public works projects to use union-represented workers, pay union dues, recognize unions, or follow specific apprenticeship or wage/benefit programs. It directly affects contractors bidding on government construction projects (like roads or buildings) by banning discriminatory contract terms based on union status or participation in union programs. The law allows affected contractors to sue a government body in court to stop violations and seek damages or legal fees. It takes effect 60 days after enactment, with exceptions only for federally mandated prevailing wages or state minimum wage laws.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits union requirements in public contracts, limiting collective bargaining and weakening union influence in government construction projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Collective Bargaining Minimum Wage

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 470: An Act providing for meal breaks or rest periods for employees; and imposing penalties.

HB 470 requires employers with 15 or more employees in Pennsylvania to provide a paid 30-minute meal break or rest period after five consecutive hours of work. This applies to all covered employees, with exemptions for union contracts that already provide equivalent or better break rights and during workplace emergencies. Employers violating the law face penalties of $100-$500 per affected employee per missed break, with additional recovery of lost wages for workers. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid 30-min breaks after 5 hours for covered workers with penalties for violations, directly strengthening workplace safety and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Paid Leave

Track

passed · Pennsylvania · House Oct 15, 2025

HB 145: An Act amending the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937 P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law, in compensation, further providing for ineligibility for compensation.

HB 145 amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to clarify when workers lose eligibility for benefits. It directly affects claimants who voluntarily leave jobs, adding specific protections: workers cannot be disqualified for leaving due to disability if suitable work is available, for joining or staying in a union, or to accompany a military spouse relocating due to active duty orders. The bill defines "suitable employment" as work requiring similar skills and paying at least 80% of a worker's previous average weekly wage. These changes aim to prevent unfair disqualifications while maintaining the law's core purpose of providing benefits to eligible unemployed workers.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds protections preventing disqualification for leaving jobs due to disability (suitable work available), union activity, or military spouse relocation - strengthens unemployment eligibility under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill protects unemployment benefits for workers leaving jobs to accompany military spouses relocating due to active duty orders, supporting military-connected families and veterans' support systems.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Unemployment Military Families

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Nov 17, 2025

SB 1093: An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, further providing for minimum wages, for exemptions and for duty of employer.

SB 1093 raises Pennsylvania's minimum wage to $9.00 per hour starting January 1, 2026; $10.00 per hour starting January 1, 2027; and $11.00 per hour starting January 1, 2028. It also adds two new exemptions: one for employees working in the personal staff of elected officials or as immediate advisers, and another for minor league baseball players covered by collective bargaining agreements. These changes directly affect most private-sector employers and workers in Pennsylvania, with new wage rates taking effect on the specified dates. The bill updates the 1968 Minimum Wage Act but does not alter existing overtime requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly increases minimum wage to $11/hour by 2028, directly advancing worker compensation standards per Labor & Employment indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Minimum Wage

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Nov 17, 2025

HB 1540: An Act amending Title 62 (Procurement) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Buy America, Buy Union Grant Program and the Buy America, Buy Union Grant Fund; and imposing duties on the Department of Community and Economic Development.

HB 1540 creates a "Buy America, Buy Union" grant program and fund under Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development. It requires state-funded projects to prioritize American-made materials and union labor by offering grants to qualifying contractors. The bill establishes a dedicated fund to finance these grants, directly affecting state agencies and contractors working on public projects. Key provisions mandate that projects receiving grants must meet specific union labor and domestic sourcing standards, altering how state procurement contracts are awarded. This policy change shifts procurement incentives toward union workers and U.S. manufactured goods for eligible state projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a dedicated fund to finance grants for union labor and American-made materials on state projects, increasing government spending on specific initiatives.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates union labor for state project grants, directly supporting collective bargaining and union employment standards per bill's core requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Collective Bargaining

Track