DPE Applauds Introduction of the PRO Act in the House and Senate, Urges Passage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, February 28, 2023 - Today, Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) introduced the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan PRO Act will ensure that professionals covered by the National Labor Relations Act can exercise their right to join together in union and negotiate collectively with their employers by restoring the original intent of the law. Department for Professionals Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the introduction of the PRO Act: 

“I’m excited the PRO Act has been introduced in both houses of Congress. I thank Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders for introducing this critical, bipartisan piece of workers’ rights legislation, and I applaud those members of Congress joining them as co-sponsors.

Working people across the country, including professionals, are organizing unions and exercising their workplace rights in numbers not seen in decades. Professionals have won union elections in historically unorganized industries and sectors, including at tech companies, digital media organizations, and nonprofits. Through their unions, professionals are raising standards by securing meaningful pay increases and fostering equitable workplaces. Nonunion professionals have taken notice, and according to DPE’s recent survey a strong majority want to join a union. However, many professionals struggle to exercise their workplace rights because of outdated labor laws. Employers too often spread misinformation, intimidate workers, and retaliate against workplace leaders during union organizing campaigns. Additionally, when professionals prevail in their union elections, employers, in many cases, intentionally delay first contract negotiations, which today take on average 465 days to complete. The PRO Act will create mechanisms to hold employers accountable when they break the law, provide for free and fair union elections, and ensure professionals can reach a first contract quickly after their union is recognized. Passing the PRO Act is needed to allow more professionals to improve their workplaces and create good, family-supporting careers. 

I strongly urge the House and Senate to send the PRO Act to the President’s desk where it will be signed into law to ensure working people can exercise their basic right to join together in union and restore fairness to our economy.”

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.

DPE Commends USTR’s Report on Notorious Markets for Highlighting the Impact Content Theft has on Creative Professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2023 - Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its latest report that highlights prominent and illustrative examples of online and physical markets that reportedly engage in, facilitate, overlook, or benefit from substantial copyright piracy or trademark counterfeiting. Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the report, the 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy:

“I commend Ambassador Tai and USTR for using the 2022 Notorious Markets List to examine the impact online content theft has on U.S. workers. Additionally, I appreciate the report’s acknowledgment that this is an issue directly affecting the members of DPE’s affiliate unions in the arts, entertainment, and media industries.

Union creative professionals rely on adequate and effective copyright protection to earn a fair return on their work. Many members of DPE’s affiliate unions in the arts and entertainment industries earn collectively bargained pay and contributions to their health insurance and pension plans from the sales and licensing of films, TV shows, music, and other content they help create. Revenue from authorized sales and licensing also funds the projects of tomorrow that union creative professionals count on for future jobs. As the 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy makes clear, content theft is pervasive and it hurts working people.   

DPE remains ready to support USTR and the Biden-Harris Administration as they pursue a worker-centered trade policy that provides the strong copyright protections that middle-class creative professionals need to secure their livelihoods in today’s digital era. ” 

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.

Professionals Union Membership Remains Constant in 2022

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2023 - Professional union membership saw a slight increase in 2022 growing to 6.27 million from 6.24 million in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report on union membership. However, union density among professionals dipped due to rising employment across the U.S. economy to 10.5 percent in 2022 from 11 percent in 2021. Overall union membership rose about 1.9 percent from 2021 to 2022.

Although union membership among professionals as a whole did not surge in 2022, professionals still formed new unions. Professionals formed their first unions at big-name companies, like REI, Medieval Times, and Apple, as well as at well-known nonprofits, animation studios, and creative arts productions. 

“Many professionals realize that by joining together in union they gain the power to negotiate for higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions,” said Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) Jennifer Dorning. “I congratulate all the professionals who joined together in union last year. While organizing is hard work, the lasting change that occurs when professionals gain a voice in workplace decisions is well worth the effort.”

In 2022, union professionals continued to be employed at high levels in the public sector, and in the education and healthcare fields. Specifically:

• 67 percent of union professionals were in the public sector;

• 47 percent of union professionals were in education; and

• 17 percent of union professionals were in healthcare.

In addition, professional union membership increased in occupations and industries with potential for continued growth, including architecture and engineering; community and social service; and art, design, entertainment, sports, and media.

“To grow as a labor movement, we need to continue to support organizing in all areas of the economy, including traditionally unorganized sectors. Union organizing has surged in recent years, and I’m hopeful that more professionals will be encouraged to exercise their workplace rights this year,” said Dorning.

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.