HARRISBURG - State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, has joined several Pennsylvania House colleagues in unveiling the state's Open Workforce Initiative during a press conference Tuesday at the Capitol.
The bill package, according to a Knowles press release, is aimed at giving all Pennsylvania employees an option as to whether or not they join a union at their jobs.
Knowles, according to the release, is the prime sponsor of House Bill 54, which prohibits private-sector employment from being conditional upon membership or non-membership in a labor organization. Compulsory dues would be prohibited for non-union members.
"This whole idea of giving employees a choice when it comes to whether or not they want to belong to a union is a no-brainer," Knowles said in the release. "Though my bill focuses specifically on private-sector employees, this is a fundamental right that should belong to all employees. Unions will not be eliminated as a result of this proposal, but employees will have the right to say 'No' to join a union if they don't wish to belong."
In addition to Knowles' bill, the Open Workforce Initiative includes measures to ensure that employment in Pennsylvania is not conditioned upon membership or non-membership in a union or on the payment or non-payment of money to labor organizations. Additionally, school teachers and local and state government workers would have the option to join a union. And public-sector employees would have the opportunity to opt out of their union at any time.