FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts on behalf of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Ryan Kekeris, 410-564-5884, rkekeris@iupat.org
Today, our union, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, is joining the widespread call to demand an end to the legislative filibuster in the United States Senate. After the passage of the PRO Act last night in the House of Representatives, the time is now for the United States Senate to stop hiding behind arcane rules that have prevented pro-worker legislation from being passed for decades.
We refuse to let our top legislative priority die because of proceduralism that couldn’t be more divorced from what American workers care about. Our union has been spearheading the campaign to pass the PRO Act and we are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure its passage – not just for our 160,000 members, but for the 90% of US workers who are not afforded the protection of a union. Over 50 million workers would join a union right now if they were able to.
We all know that the rules are rigged against us as workers and after a 75-year war against us where the rich and powerful changed the rules to benefit themselves, it’s time to change the rules and level the playing field for all working people. We urge other unions and non-labor organizations to join our call to end the filibuster so we can have the political fight we deserve for labor law reform and other crucial policies that would bolster the lives of working people.
The filibuster, like our current labor laws, is undemocratic. It’s used as a shield to prevent Senators from putting their name to paper against many transformative policies like the PRO Act.
With each passing legislative session, American workers have been told to wait for decades and positive labor law reform has been deprioritized and pushed to the next legislative session. We are done waiting. The time is now to end the filibuster and finally expand the rights of the working class for the first time in nearly a century.
THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES (IUPAT)
Represents a growing community of over 110,000 active and retired craftspeople in the United States and Canada. The IUPAT membership extends far beyond the workplace. Recognized as one of the most active unions in the labor movement, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through an abiding commitment to service, by fighting passionately for workers’ rights that benefit all working families, and through effective worker education and mobilization. Visit www.iupat.org to learn more.
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