Madison, Wis. – Representative Ann Roe (D–Janesville) joined all of her Democratic colleagues today to announce a package of pro-labor bills aimed at restoring worker protections and strengthening Wisconsin’s workforce.
After the introduction, Rep. Roe said:
“For more than a decade, Wisconsin Republicans have worked to dismantle laws that provided job security, fair wages, and affordable benefits. The bills introduced today fix bad policy by taking steps to build a stronger Wisconsin across the board.
The success of unionized workers – including teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, and carpenters – lifts up all workers and strengthens entire communities.”
A bill included in the package restores prevailing wage requirements for state and local projects -ensuring fair pay, reasonable hours, and employer accountability. It sets clear standards for wages, work hours, contracts, and enforcement. The bill package aims to protect workers from exploitation and guarantee they are paid what they have earned.
This legislation also strengthens penalties, imposes tougher requirements on contractors, and expands state investigative authority over employers who misclassify workers.
“For too long, unscrupulous employers have gamed the project bidding system by misclassifying employees as ‘independent contractors.’ This practice strips workers of hard-earned benefits,” Rep. Roe continued. “Not only does this jeopardize worker safety and training, it cheats taxpayers since those employers do not pay into unemployment benefits or workers’ compensation. Taxpayers lose.”
Another bill in the package calls for repealing Wisconsin’s right-to-work law. This would restore unions’ ability to fully negotiate agreements, including fair membership dues, while ensuring protections for workers whose right to union membership is denied.
Collin Gillis, a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) member and nurse, spoke on right-to-work laws:
“In right-to-work states, workers lose their right to speak with a unified voice. Instead, they are pitted against each other to keep wages low and contract language weak.”
Additionally, another proposal would lift restrictions on how state and local governments partner with labor unions on public construction projects.
“Repealing these barriers gives local governments stronger tools to guarantee fair wages, enforce consistent labor standards, and deliver quality projects. It also expands opportunities for unions to participate in building projects across our state,” Rep. Roe added.
Rep. Roe concluded:
“Union members, community leaders, and working families have been demanding these common-sense policies for years. Restoring prevailing wage, addressing worker misclassification, repealing the right-to-work law, and reinstating project labor agreement requirements are changes that will benefit every worker in Wisconsin.”
