S 1310, the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act, denies tax deductions for employer spending aimed at influencing workers' decisions about union organizing or collective bargaining. It amends the tax code to block deductions for expenses like anti-union consultant fees, captive audience meetings, and other tactics that interfere with labor rights under the National Labor Relations Act. Employers must report such spending on tax returns with specific details, including dates, amounts, and whether activities relate to unfair labor practice charges. This directly affects businesses that engage in anti-union organizing tactics, removing a tax incentive for these activities while preserving deductions for standard union negotiations.
The Tax Fairness for Workers Act (HR 2671) would allow certain employees to deduct work-related expenses directly from their gross income. Specifically, it creates an above-the-line deduction for union dues (amending IRC Section 62(a)(1)) and reinstates a deduction for other out-of-pocket work costs like uniforms or tools (amending IRC Section 67(g)), effective for 2025 tax years. This directly affects union members and workers with significant job-related expenses who previously could not deduct these costs. The bill removes the prior limitation that barred these deductions, making them available without needing to itemize. The policy change simplifies tax filing for affected workers by treating these expenses as deductible business costs.
HR 5048, the "Don’t STEAL Act," amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure workers receive the highest wage promised in their contracts or collective bargaining agreements, whichever exceeds federal or state minimum wage requirements. It directly affects employees engaged in commerce or working for businesses involved in commerce, requiring employers to pay at least the higher of their agreed-upon wage or the legal minimum. The bill establishes criminal penalties for willful wage theft exceeding $1,000 (up to 5 years in prison) and civil penalties for all unpaid wages, with fines funding the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforcement efforts. These changes apply to violations occurring 90 days after enactment.
The Employee Rights Act (S 2984) amends key labor laws to change union representation processes and worker classification. It requires secret ballot elections for collective bargaining (Section 2), prohibits non-lawfully-status employees from voting in union elections (Section 3), and establishes privacy protections for employee information used in organizing efforts (Section 4). The bill also changes how workers are classified as employees versus independent contractors (Section 5) and creates a new "independent negotiating" option for workers who leave unions (Section 7). These changes directly affect union representation processes, employee classification, and privacy protections for workers across various industries.
The Nationwide Right To Unionize Act (S 2729) would repeal a federal law provision allowing states to enact "right-to-work" laws, which typically prevent unions from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment. By removing this state-level exception, the bill would make it illegal for any state to have right-to-work laws, meaning workers in unionized workplaces across all 50 states could be required to pay union dues if their union and employer agree. This directly affects workers, unions, and employers in every state, particularly in the 27 states currently with right-to-work laws. The bill does not change existing union security agreements but eliminates state-level alternatives that restrict union dues collection.
The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025 amends the National Labor Relations Act to explicitly include tribal governments and their enterprises as covered employers under federal labor law. It adds new definitions clarifying that "Indian tribe," "Indian," and "Indian lands" encompass federally recognized tribes, their members, and lands held in trust or within reservation boundaries. This change directly affects tribal nations, their member-owned businesses, and tribal employees by bringing them under the same labor protections (like collective bargaining rights) previously applicable to most private-sector employers. The bill does not create new programs but adjusts the legal definition to ensure tribal entities operating on tribal lands are subject to the NLRA’s standard labor regulations.
SRES 158 is a non-binding Senate resolution expressing the chamber's view that paraprofessionals (like paraeducators) and education support staff (including clerical, custodial, and food service workers in schools) deserve fair treatment. It outlines specific expectations for their workplaces, such as livable wages, affordable healthcare, job security, paid leave, and meaningful input in school policies - directly affecting over 3 million frontline workers supporting 49 million students. The resolution does not create new laws but urges federal and state action to address current gaps, including ending seasonal layoffs and ensuring access to benefits. It emphasizes these staff’s critical role in school environments while clarifying that it does not override existing collective bargaining agreements.
This bill, S 3174 (VA CBA Act of 2025), preserves existing labor agreements between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and employee unions. It ensures all collective bargaining agreements in effect on March 26, 2025, remain fully enforceable through their original terms. The bill also cancels two executive orders (14251 and 14343) that had excluded VA employees from federal labor-management programs, and prohibits using federal funds to implement those orders for VA. This directly affects VA employees and their unions by maintaining their current bargaining rights and removing prior restrictions on labor relations.
This bill requires House and Senate members to purchase or lease official vehicles only if they are assembled in the U.S. by workers covered by a union collective bargaining agreement. It amends funding rules for congressional representatives' allowances (House) and office expenses (Senate), banning the use of those funds for non-compliant vehicles. The restriction applies to all new vehicle purchases or leases starting October 1, 2026. It directly affects how Congress members fund their official transportation, aiming to support U.S. manufacturing jobs with union labor. The policy change is limited to vehicle procurement under existing congressional funding mechanisms.
This bill prevents employers from dropping health insurance coverage for workers during strikes or lockouts. It amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit employers from terminating group health plan coverage for employees who are either locked out (during bargaining disputes) or participating in a lawful strike. Employers who violate this rule face civil penalties of up to $75,000 per violation for lockout-related actions (doubling to $150,000 for repeat offenses) or $50,000 for strike-related actions (doubling to $100,000 for repeat offenses). The law directly affects workers engaged in strikes or locked out by employers, ensuring their healthcare coverage continues during these labor disputes.
