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NMHC joined a coalition of other organizations on July 22 in sending a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in opposing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2021. As previously reported, the PRO Act would, among other provisions, enable the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to find a joint employment relationship on indirect and reserved authority.
While the NLRB in February 2020 overturned an Obama-era rule imposing this standard, the PRO Act would statutorily reinstate the rule.
Notably, other provisions included in the PRO Act would also be detrimental to the multifamily industry. For example, the legislation proposes to impose binding arbitration on initial collective bargaining agreements. Click here to access the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace summary of the bill.
While the House approved the PRO Act on March 9, the companion version introduced in the Senate is unlikely to clear that chamber in its entirety. Democrats would like to see the PRO Act included in a reconciliation bill on human infrastructure. However, all provisions in a reconciliation bill must have a budgetary impact, meaning the current version of the bill is likely to be narrowed.
NMHC will continue to monitor any action on this legislation and continue to express concern on the provisions that would negatively impact the industry.