Employers Protest Pro-Worker Proposals Tacked on to Defense Bill

Tucked into the 650 proposed amendments to the annual defense authorization bill are a handful of pro-worker provisions that quickly drew the ire of business groups.

US House Democrats proposed amendments ranging from prohibiting the Department of Defense from contracting with employers who have engaged in unfair labor practices to giving a preference to union-friendly contractors.

The changes look to further President Joe Biden’s effort to promote unionization among government contractors and revive Obama-era rules to crack down on those that break labor laws. They also show how the defense budget can be used as an unlikely vehicle to shape ...