Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Introduction of WAGE Act

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement following the bicameral introduction of the Workplace Action for a Growing Economy (WAGE) Act by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.):

“Despite our nation’s continuing progress toward a full economic recovery, workers’ wages have flat lined and American families are falling behind. By protecting workers who join together to advocate for work improvements, the WAGE Act will help combat stagnant wages and bolster our country’s middle class.

While our current labor laws protect American workers on paper, the laws lack tangible deterrents or penalties for employers that break the law and violate workers’ rights. The WAGE Act will put teeth into our 80-year-old National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and establish penalties for employers that illegally fire a worker or violate a National Labor Relations Board order.

The WAGE Act is a long overdue and much needed update to the NLRA that will protect workers’ fundamental right to discuss topics like their wages, fair scheduling, sick leave, and equal pay. We applaud Senator Murray and Representative Scott for their work on this crucial piece of legislation, and urge their colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.”

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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