Bill Samuel, AFL-CIO Legislative Director, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss ongoing issues in Congress, specifically their inability to pass a budget plan for the year. Samuel also addressed proposed cuts to worker protection programs and a constitutional challenge to the National Labor Relations Board.
This Congress has passed fewer bills than any previous Congress, and it seems to be continuing that trend early in 2024, Samuel said. One continuing issue facing Congress is the lack of a funding bill being passed. While the group has passed several continuation spending bills, there have not been any significant moves to compromise and get a spending bill passed. Samuel discussed past deadlines and previewed the issues they need to resolve before the next deadline.
Congress is introducing more cuts, including vital programs protecting workers. Samuel said reductions to the NLRB, job training programs and elimination of the Job Corps would be among the proposed cuts. He does not believe these cuts will be approved, but they are being proposed as part of the spending bills. With their inclusion in the budget proposal, compromises will need to be made by both sides before a deal is agreed upon.
Several well-known corporations are arguing that the NLRB is unconstitutional. The process, known as a constitutional challenge, is being used for the first time since the founding of the NLRB. The corporations responsible for the challenge are well-known anti-union organizations like Amazon, Space X and Tesla, he said.
For more from Samuel, please listen to the show above.