Rep. Josh Morris (R-Turner) recently wrote a confusing and misleading letter to the editor (“PRO Act not good for small businesses,” April 17) about the PRO Act, federal legislation that would allow workers to form unions free from employer harassment, intimidation and coercion.

Rep. Morris erroneously claimed that the bill will somehow “give workers less of a say in business management.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

The PRO Act actually gives workers a stronger voice in the workplace because it makes it easier to form unions. As we’ve seen during the nurses’ union drive at Maine Medical Center, management waged a vicious anti-union campaign, forcing nurses to attend captive audience meetings, spreading misinformation and pressuring employees to vote against their best interests. As research has shown, unionized hospitals have better patient outcomes than non-union health care facilities because nurses are allowed to more effectively advocate for better patient care and safety without fear of discipline.

The fact is, although anti-union laws have made it extraordinarily difficult for workers to form unions, recent polling found that 73% of Americans support the right to collectively bargain, including 89% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans. A 2018 MIT study also found that nearly half of all nonunion workers — more than 60 million people — would join a union today if given the chance.

Unions are wildly popular and benefit all workers, not just those at union workplaces. So let’s allow more workers to collectively bargain for better wages, working conditions and a meaningful seat at the table.

Cynthia Phinney, president, Maine AFL-CIO
Livermore Falls

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