H.R. 842: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

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H.R. 842: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-02-04 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Official title

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021

Plain summary

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 20 21 This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. Among other things, it (1) revises the definitions of employee , supervisor , and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; (2) permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and (3) prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes. The bill also allows collective bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; and expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes. The bill makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership and prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation. The bill further prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against an employee, including employees with management responsibilities, in response to that employee participating in protected activities related to the enforcement of the prohibitions against unfair labor practices (i.e., whistleblower protections). Such protected activities include providing information about a potential violation to an enforcement agency, participating in an enforcement proceeding, initiating a proceeding concerning an alleged violation or assisting in such a proceeding, or refusing to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is a violation of labor laws. Finally, the bill addresses the procedures for union representation elections, provides employees with the ability to vote in such elections remotely by telephone or the internet, modifies the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm, and establishes penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with National Labor Relations Board orders.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · 213 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Garamendi (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), André Carson (D-IN), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN), Mark Takano (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and 153 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] reported raising $882,179 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

• House roll call 67 (2021): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR842 (2021-03-09): Agreed to
• House roll call 68 (2021): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR842 (2021-03-09): Failed
• House roll call 69 (2021): On Motion to Recommit, HR842 (2021-03-09): Failed
• House roll call 70 (2021): On Passage, HR842 (2021-03-09): Passed

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr842.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr842 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117