Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania introduced the Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act to require employers to provide health insurance to workers who are on strike, according to a March 4 press release.
The bill would create a separate unfair labor practice category that would be punishable by fines when employers cut or alter workers' health insurance while workers are on strike. The fines would vary based on the company's history of violations, size, the scope of the harm and the public interest.
"American workers have the right to negotiate a fair contract that reflects the value of their work without the fear of losing healthcare benefits they earned and negotiated in good faith at the bargaining table," Mr. Brown said in a Daily Advocate op-ed published March 23.