Blog de Dunlap: A few big labor wins for workers to celebrate

Danielle,

Today is May Day, also known as International Workers' Day — a chance to recognize the long history of working people joining together to fight for real change.

And this year, we have some big recent wins to celebrate from the Biden-Harris administration, on top of huge advances in union organizing. Victories that came after years and years of organizing, advocacy, and plain-old persistence.

Just last week, the Federal Trade Commission voted to ban the vast majority of "noncompete agreements," which bar employees from switching to different jobs that could offer better pay, or better benefits, or better working conditions. Or from starting new businesses that could compete with their employers.

You don't need to be an economic expert to see how noncompete clauses end up driving down wages. But experts back this up, of course. After this ban, Massachusetts workers stand to gain $2 billion in higher pay. It'll also lead to lower health care costs, more startups, and more patents. And our economy as a whole will be more competitive, with more entrepreneurs being able to turn big ideas into new companies.

I've been pushing for this reform, and because of this change, working people will have more freedom, more power, and more money in their pockets.

Also last week, the Department of Labor announced a big raise for over 4 million working people.

I've fought to make sure workers don't get locked out of earning overtime pay, and a new policy will extend overtime pay protections to salaried Americans making up to $58,656 — up from just $35,568 under Donald Trump. For millions more people now, working over 40 hours a week will mean earning overtime pay, guaranteed.

Once again, the Biden-Harris administration is putting more money in people's pockets.

And workers continue to come together in a historic wave of union organizing, lifting each other up and winning higher wages and new protections. Just a couple weeks ago, Volkswagen workers in Tennessee with the UAW broke new ground for the South by winning their union.

The power of labor unions is growing, and the American labor movement is stronger than ever. Nurses, autoworkers, public school teachers, writers, actors, and more are all recognizing their strength when they come together. All staying united on picket lines. All making change, not just for themselves, but for working people across America.

Workers have always had to fight for a level playing field, from a minimum wage to basic workplace safety to a 40-hour work week. And when workers fight, workers win.

I'll keep pushing to make it easier to organize a union with policies like the PRO Act, put more money and power in the hands of working people, and build an economy that doesn't just work for billionaire CEOs.

Together, we can make sure that hard work turns into fair pay and a fair opportunity for a decent life.

Thanks for being a part of this, and happy International Workers' Day,

Elizabeth