US Congressmen Aim to Reform Labor Relations Act, Enable Merit Pay Raise

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Senator Marco Rubio and US Representative Todd Rokita introduced a new bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act in order to enable US employers to give merit-based pay increases to employees, even if the raises are not a part of union collective bargaining agreements, according to a statement released by Senator Rubio.

“If enacted, the RAISE [Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act] would essentially make wages set in union contracts a minimum floor, while giving employers the flexibility to reward diligent employees for their hard work,” the statement, issued on Thursday, said.

Union bosses should not stop American workers from getting a raise because of hard work, Rubio said in a statement.

“When America’s workers earn a raise because of their hard work, union bosses should not be able to block it, as labor policy currently allows,” Rubio said. “The RAISE Act would bring greater fairness and opportunity to the modern workplace by giving American workers the freedom to earn more money for a job well done.”

The bill will make sure hard work is appreciated and not dismissed, Rokita said in the statement.

“This bill allows employers to give merit-based raises and bonuses to employees who contribute positively to the success of their businesses, ensuring that hard work and success are rewarded, not punished,” Rokita said.

Wages set in union contracts cannot exceed the wages that have been agreed upon for payment of services under US law, according to the statement, and the new law would apply to around 7.6 million American unionized workers.