Unions across Indiana rallied Friday to pressure Sens. Todd Young and Mike Braun into voting for pro-union legislation. The Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO, Act has already passed a House vote, but doesn’t have enough support in the Senate.
Labor leaders in Indianapolis, South Bend and Hammond gathered outside local offices for the senators to show support for the legislation. If passed, it would override “right to work” laws in states including Indiana and make it easier for workers to organize. It would also ban employers from making employees attend anti-union meetings at work.
James Gardner is a business representative for the local International Union of Operating Engineers chapter. He stood outside Braun’s office in South Bend to urge him to pass both the PRO Act and a pending infrastructure bill.
“We outnumber the employers as American workers,” he said. “Give us the right to be able to decide if we want to be represented by a union or not with fair, equitable conditions.”
Organizers say their members have heard back from Young, but nothing from Braun. Neither have pledged their support.
The rallies were part of a national week of action for the bill organized by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Contact reporter Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.