Tag Archive for: Legislation

Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill is a gut punch to working people. Behind a smokescreen of small, short-term gains, this bill inflicts deep, lasting harm. It’s a gift to billionaires and corporations—and a betrayal of the working class.

In our union, we talk about four core issues that matter most to working families — a livable wage, affordable health care, retirement security, and time to live a full life outside of work. This bill fails on every count. It means millions of families will lose health care. It means millions of kids will be hungrier because of the biggest cut in history to food assistance. It means millions of people are not able to afford to live, let alone live well.

Instead of lifting people up, this legislation shoves them down. The bill slashes Medicaid—ripping health care away from the most vulnerable and making it more expensive for us all—so the rich can get even richer. Clean energy investments that have given blue-collar communities a shot at real economic renewal? They’re on the chopping block.

This legislation shifts the balance of power even further in favor of the billionaire class. It weakens workers’ bargaining power, hollows out social protections, and doubles down on a system that exploits labor and rewards wealth.

We’ve been told to accept less, sacrifice more, and be grateful for crumbs, while CEOs cash in. It’s an outright class war on workers.

The UAW welcomes bold ideas that actually help working-class people—no matter which political party they come from. But this bill has far too few. It delivers pain to workers while rewarding the billionaire class. Anyone who claims to stand with workers should see this bill for what it is—a disaster.

This is a moment of clarity – and we will make sure UAW members and families know exactly which corporate-backed politicians supported this bill.  Working-class people are fed up with a political system that does not meet our basic needs. Republicans in the House of Representatives who want to break from their party’s anti-worker status quo have a clear choice: side with the billionaires—or stand with workers. Vote no on final passage. Show us whose side you’re really on.

LANSING, MI – The UAW today applauded Michigan House Democrats for introducing a bold workers’ rights ‘May Day’ legislative package, honoring International Workers’ Day and re-committing to fight for working-class Michiganders.

“For too long, corporations have hoarded the wealth the working class creates,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “Michigan House Democrats are taking a step forward in fighting for workers with long-overdue protections against corporate greed. Every lawmaker in the state needs to pick a side: the corporate class or the working class.”

The UAW, representing over 300,000 active and retired members in Michigan, has been pushing since last year’s lame-duck session for real action to deliver for workers.

Among the bills introduced is legislation targeting “captive audience meetings,” where employers force workers to attend anti-union propaganda sessions during organizing drives. Since 2023, the UAW can cite over a dozen companies in southeast Michigan that have forced workers that are organizing into captive audience meetings — including Webasto’s $1.3 million union-busting campaign — showing just how badly reform is needed.

“Politicians love to visit union halls during election season. But the real test is what you do once you’re in office,” Fain said. “We thank the elected officials who stepped up this May Day — and we loudly call on the rest of the Michigan Legislature and Governor Whitmer to pick a side: join the labor movement and back the Putting Workers First legislative package.”

“It’s great to see legislators in the Michigan House standing up for working people by introducing this package of bills on May Day,” said Jason Peek, a member of UAW Local 602. “One of the bills would make sure bosses can’t just fire someone without a good reason. Right now, in Michigan, non-union workers can be let go for no reason at all. I’ve got this protection in my union contract, and I really believe every worker should have that same basic fairness.”

“May Day 2025 means we are three years from May Day 2028, where a lot of our contracts, including at the Big Three, are lined up to expire,” said UAW Local 228 member JJ Jewell. “We want to be able to exercise the power of a strike, if we must, without companies bringing in scabs. That’s why we need a bill like the one in this package that would ban so-called ‘replacement workers’ in Michigan.”

Earlier this year, the UAW laid out its legislative priorities for Lansing, including:

  • Guaranteeing strong wages and labor protections for all workers;
  • Strengthening health care access and affordability;
  • Enhancing retirement security so every worker can retire with dignity;
  • Promoting work-life balance to allow workers to lead full, healthy lives.

The UAW will continue to mobilize members to fight for these priorities — and for a legislature that stands with workers, not corporate interests.