Priority Legislative Issues

This is a summary of the priority legislative issues for the UAW during the Second Session of the 110th Congress in 2008. UAW activists should focus their lobbying efforts on these key issues.

1. Oppose Korea Trade Deal
2. Improve TAA/UI/WARN Act Benefits and Protections
3. Health Insurance Coverage for Vulnerable Populations
4. Reform Corporate Bankruptcy Laws
5. Protecting the Right to Organize

1. Oppose Korea Trade Deal. The Bush administration has negotiated a free trade deal with Korea that would require the U.S. to immediately eliminate its tariffs on imported autos and auto parts, and to phase out our 25% tariff on imported pickup trucks. At the same time, this trade deal does not require Korea to eliminate its tax and other non-tariff barriers to U.S.-built automotive products. As a result, Korea will be able to keep its market virtually closed to our automotive products, while it increases exports to our market. A study conducted by the International Trade Commission has confirmed that this proposed trade deal would increase our already large automotive trade deficit with Korea. The net result will be the loss of tens of thousands of automotive jobs for American workers. Please urge Representatives and Senators to oppose the unfair Korea free trade deal. Tell them that this agreement represents a major threat to the jobs of UAW members and other American workers in our auto industry.

For more information on the Korea Free Trade Agreement click here.

2. Improve TAA/UI/WARN Act Benefits and Protections. In 2007 the House passed a UAW-backed legislative package that reformed and expanded the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. This bill increased funding for TAA, streamlined the procedures for workers to receive benefits, expanded the program to cover all instances where work is off-shored and to cover workers in the public sector and service industries, and expanded and reformed the health care tax credit to help more laid off workers obtain affordable health insurance coverage. This legislative package also provided incentives to states to modernize and improve their unemployment insurance programs so more workers will be eligible for these important benefits. And it included improvements to the plant closing advance notification law (WARN Act) to ensure that more workers receive this early warning and have adequate remedies when companies violate this law. During 2008, the UAW and the rest of the labor movement will be urging the Senate to approve similar legislation. Please urge your Senators to act promptly to pass legislation to reform and expand the TAA and UI programs and the WARN Act. Tell them this is essential to ensure that more laid off workers receive the vital benefits and protections afforded by these laws.

3. Health Insurance Coverage for Vulnerable Populations. The UAW strongly supports legislation that was approved by the House and Senate during 2007, but vetoed by President Bush, to provide an additional $35 billion to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover 4 million uninsured children in low-income families. We also support initiatives to ensure that pre-Medicare retirees receive adequate health insurance coverage. This includes proposals to allow early retirees to "buy-in" to the Medicare program, to establish a federal reinsurance program for "catastrophic" health care costs, and to expand the health care tax credit (HCTC) that is currently available to early retirees from companies that have gone bankrupt and terminated their pension plans. Please urge your Representative and Senators to supports renewed efforts to pass legislation to expand the SCHIP program to cover more uninsured children. Also tell them to support initiatives to ensure that early retirees have affordable health insurance coverage.

4. Reform Corporate Bankruptcy Laws. In recent years, employers have increasingly tried to use the bankruptcy process to evade their obligations under collective bargaining agreements, and to slash wages, health care, pension and other benefits for active and retired workers. At the same time, unscrupulous executives have continued to line their own pockets with outrageous bonuses, and to shift resources to foreign operations. To put a stop to these abuses, the UAW and other unions are strongly supporting the "Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act of 2007" (S. 2092; H.R. 3652), introduced by Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Kennedy (D-MA) and by Representatives Conyers (D-MI) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA). Please urge your Representative and Senators to cosponsor and support this critically important legislation. Tell them these reforms are urgently needed so that our bankruptcy laws will promote good faith bargaining and help to protect the wages and benefits that have been earned by workers and retirees.

5. Protecting the Right to Organize. The Republicans appointed by the Bush administration to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have been pursuing a relentless campaign to undermine the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively. In the infamous Oakwood decisions, the Bush NLRB radically expanded the definition of who can be considered a "supervisor" under the National Labor Relations Act, and therefore denied the right to organize and bargain collectively. This terrible decision poses a major threat to millions of workers, including nurses, teachers, working foremen and team leaders who occasionally assign tasks to co-workers. In addition, last September the Bush NLRB issued decisions making it more difficult for workers to organize by using card check procedures or by "salting" workplaces with union supporters. To overturn the Oakwood decision, the UAW and other unions are strongly supporting the Re-employment of Skilled & Professional Employees and Construction Tradesworkers (RESPECT) Act (H.R. 1644; S. 969), introduced by Representative Andrews (D-NJ) and Senator Dodd (D-CT). To prevent the NLRB from issuing even more anti-worker decisions, we are urging the Senate to stop President Bush from filling current and future vacancies at the NLRB. Please urge your Representative and Senators to cosponsor and support the RESPECT Act (H.R. 1644; S. 969). Tell them this legislation will restore the longstanding definition of "supervisor", and thereby prevent millions of workers from being excluded from the protections afforded by the National Labor Relations Act. Also urge your Representative and Senators to protest against the wave of anti-worker decisions from the Bush NLRB. Tell your Senators to oppose any attempt by the Bush administration to appoint more anti-worker persons to fill vacancies at the NLRB.