The PRO Act: A Historic Step Toward Worker Power—And a Foundation for the Future

On March 5, 2025, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Bobby Scott reintroduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation aimed at strengthening worker protections, expanding union rights, and restoring balance in the workplace.

This is a historic moment for the labor movement and for everyone who believes in a fair economy where workers have real power. The PRO Act is a major step forward, and it reinforces something I deeply believe in: stronger, more unified worker organizations are the key to long-term economic transformation.

The PRO Act: Real Progress for Working People

For decades, corporate interests have eroded worker protections, making it harder to organize, collectively bargain, and secure fair treatment. The PRO Act corrects this imbalance by:

✅ Eliminating Right-to-Work Laws – Ensuring unions have the strength they need to represent all workers fairly.

✅ Protecting Strikes & Collective Action – Giving workers the power to demand better wages, benefits, and conditions without fear of retaliation.

✅ Ending Union-Busting Tactics – Banning employer-led "captive audience" meetings that force anti-union messaging on workers.

✅ Securing First-Contract Agreements – Making sure newly formed unions have real negotiating power, rather than being stalled out by corporate tactics.

This legislation is a victory for labor and democracy—it ensures that workers have a voice in their workplaces and that unions remain a powerful force for economic justice.

I want to recognize and celebrate this progress. The PRO Act lays the groundwork for something even bigger—the kind of deep, structural change that will reshape work for future generations.

Building on This Momentum for the Future

I believe in worker power—not just in negotiations, but in the governance of industries themselves.

The PRO Act strengthens unions, but it also proves something crucial: when workers are united, they can take control of their economic future. That’s why I’ve been developing the Equitable Future Initiative (EFI)—a vision where workers don’t just fight for better treatment within the system, they lead the system itself.

🔷 Industries Led by Workers, Not Corporations – The PRO Act helps workers win fair treatment within the current system. But I believe the next step is worker-led industry governance through the Public Industry Administration Model (PIAM).

🔷 A System Where Strikes Become Unnecessary – The PRO Act protects the right to strike, but in a world where workers already control their workplaces, strikes wouldn’t be needed at all.

🔷 Stronger, Universal Unions – The PRO Act makes it easier for workers to unionize, but my vision is a world where all industries are worker-run by default. No more fights to organize—unions become the standard structure for economic decision-making.

🔷 A Future Where Work Serves People, Not Profit – The PRO Act fights back against corporate exploitation, and I want to take that even further by transforming work itself—moving beyond the profit-driven economy toward a system that prioritizes well-being, stability, and shared prosperity.

The PRO Act and EFI are not at odds—they are part of the same movement. This is a critical moment to protect workers today while laying the foundation for a new economic reality tomorrow.

Rejecting the Opposition’s Fear Tactics

While the PRO Act is a clear step in the right direction, powerful corporate interests are working hard to stop it. They claim that protecting unions infringes on worker freedom—a complete distortion of reality.

Let’s be clear:

❌ Right-to-Work laws were never about worker freedom—they were about weakening unions and driving down wages.

❌ Corporations don’t "protect" workers from unions—they protect their own profits by keeping workers divided.

❌ The real attack on freedom is preventing workers from organizing and silencing their voices.

Anyone who opposes the PRO Act is standing against worker rights, economic fairness, and the democratic principles this country was built on. I reject their fear-mongering and stand firmly with workers fighting for a better future.

This Is Just the Beginning

The PRO Act is more than just a piece of legislation—it is proof that change is possible.

I am grateful for the workers, activists, and leaders who fought to make this progress a reality. But I also recognize that our work is far from over.

🔹 Today, we fight for stronger unions.
🔹 Tomorrow, we fight for worker-led industries.
🔹 Ultimately, we build a world where economic democracy is the standard, not the exception.

The PRO Act is a foundation, not a finish line. It’s up to us to continue building, organizing, and pushing forward.

We are winning. Let’s keep going.