Labor watchdogs say Democratic lawmakers will "double down on failed policies" as they lay out their agenda for the workforce.
Several leading Democratic congressmen released a report Wednesday outlining their policy recommendations for wages, regulation, and working conditions. The report, authored by representatives Mark DeSaulnier (D., Calif.), Donald Norcross (D., N.J.), Debbie Dingell (D., Mich.), and Mark Pocan (D., Wisc.), endorses a national paid leave fund to cover all workers, as well as doubling the minimum wage to $15 an hour across the country.
"The issues facing the workforce are imminent and need to be addressed now before too much damage is done," the report said. "We cannot sit around and wait while more workers are abused through the system of power imbalance. Congress must enact reforms that redistribute power to workers."
Vincent Vernuccio, a labor policy consultant, said the report repeated many long-standing pro-labor talking points, rather than offering "forward thinking ideas." He said it was a missed opportunity for lawmakers to demonstrate that they can creatively address future issues for American workers, particularly as automation threatens an increasing number of jobs once thought safe. Mandates from Washington, Vernuccio said, could "hamper competition" and drive up costs of employment, particularly for entry-level jobs.
"The 'Future of Work' report is simply making recommendations to double down on the failed policies of the past," Vernuccio said. "The new economy needs flexibility for both employers and employees, not one-size-fits-all solutions that will stifle productivity and hamper competition."
The report goes beyond legislative fixes and offers blistering criticism of the "corporate-friendly Supreme Court" for barring forced-dues payments for government workers in June's Janus decision. It also said overturning Citizens United, the 5-4 decision that allowed corporations and unions to make political donations, is necessary to prevent "undue influence by a select few individuals or industries over politicians."
Democrats convened a panel of lawmakers to study the American labor market in September 2016 and followed with a series of eight regional policy meetings ranging from New Jersey to Michigan. Many of those panel studies were delivered by some of the nation's top unions, including the AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers, Communication Workers of America, United Mine Workers, and public-sector labor giant American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. They also heard from top liberal think tanks, including the National Employment Law Project and Economic Policy Institute. The report praises labor organizations for boosting all workers, even those who are not represented by a union, but said lawmakers should work to strengthen union dues and fee collections.
"The benefits of unionization are felt far beyond the individual worker," it says. "Fewer members translates to fewer resources, preventing the union from engaging in aggressive action and organizing. A weaker union will be less capable of advocating for wage increases, worker safety, and adequate benefits for workers."
Unions spent $1.7 billion on political activities and lobbying during the 2016 election cycle, according to National Institute for Labor Relations Research, with nearly all of that money aimed at supporting Democrats. Peter List, a former union official who now serves as a management consultant, said the recommendations within the report are transparently pro-Big Labor and demonstrate the Democratic Party's commitment to advancing the agenda of one of its largest groups of campaign contributors.
"If nothing else, it has become more than abundantly clear over the last several decades that most industrial unions cannot survive without government paternalism, and Democrats cannot survive without unions," List said. "The House Democrats' report is a blueprint that will pave the way to help kill more American jobs."
Vernuccio echoed these sentiments, saying many of the wage and regulatory policies would reverse the gains the labor market has experienced in the past several years thanks to a tighter labor market and growth rates at 4 percent. Restoring many of the regulations that the Trump administration has reversed and imposing new mandates on employers could hurt workers' wages and future job prospects, according to Vernuccio.
"Thanks to a friendly worker and job creator climate, the economy is booming and unemployment is at historic lows," Vernuccio said. "The recommendations put forward in the report will bring the economy back to the bad old days of the previous eight years, harming workers, business, and the country as a whole."
The report comes as Democratic lawmakers campaign to retake the House of Representatives for the first time since 2010.