Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren on Thursday released a plan intended to bolster workers’ rights and strengthen the power of labor unions that included a vow to remake the federal courts with nominees who support “working people.”
Ms. Warren would expand federal employee protections to farm and domestic workers, crack down on employers’ classifying people as “independent contractors,” and push for changes to make it easier for people like supervisors and students to join labor unions, among other priorities.
“We cannot have a truly democratic society with so little power in the hands of working people,” the Massachusetts senator said in a Medium post. “We cannot have sustained and inclusive economic growth without a stronger labor movement.”
Ms. Warren, who has campaigned on themes of taking on big-monied interests and giant corporations, said she would push to ban states from passing “right to work” laws that prevent employees from being forced to join unions as a condition of employment.
She also said she would “remake” the federal courts with nominees who support “working people” and nominate a “demonstrated advocate for workers” to fill any vacancy on the U.S Supreme Court.
Ms. Warren said she would expand the enforcement powers of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), make it easier for workers to strike, and promote “sectoral bargaining” that allows employees across industries to band together to form labor agreements even if they work at different companies.
Her plan also includes a vague promise to work with unions during a transition to a “Medicare for all” health care system to protect gains they might have made in negotiating private health insurance plans.
She also wants to make companies with $1 billion or more in annual revenue let employees elect at least 40% of the company’s board, ban non-compete clauses, and ban forced arbitration agreements in employment contracts.
Ms. Warren also said she would work to pass new protections intended to shield LGBTQ workers, people of color, people with disabilities, and pregnant women from discrimination.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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