In the Halls of Power

Butch Lewis Provision of ARPAct Saving Multiemployer Pensions

After years of advocacy by workers and retirees, about 1.5 million Americans belonging to endangered multiemployer pension plans will have their retirement benefits secured for 30 years – with no cuts to benefitsthanks to the Butch Lewis Act. Senator Sherrod Brown sponsored the historic piece of legislation, which was passed as part of the American Rescue Plan in 2021.

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh announced last May that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation would fully restore the retirement benefits of 2,000

members of Iron Workers 17, who had seen their pensions cut by as much as 60% in 2017. The following month, members of the American Federation of Musicians Local 4 celebrated pension relief while 25 to 35% cuts loomed for their 450 members. Last fall, the Department of Labor (DOL) delivered again, announcing that 800 members from Teamsters Local 52 would have their benefits restored. A month later, the DOL announced that they would direct $36 billion to the Central States Pension Fund to reform the pension of 350,000 Teamsters.

Cleveland City Council Passes Wage Theft Ordinance

In a significant victory at the final council session of 2022, Cleveland City Council passed Ordinance 892-2022, an emergency ordinance to address wage theft and payroll fraud. The legislation prohibits the City of Cleveland from entering contracts or providing financial assistance to companies that commit wage theft. According to Policy Matters, wage theft affects 213,000 Ohioans annually, most of whom work in the leisure & hospitality, construction, agriculture, and financial activities fields.

The legislation is a massive victory for the Guardians for Fair Work campaign. The Guardians coalition includes the Northeast Ohio Worker Center, Cleveland Jobs with Justice, Policy Matters, and several labor organizations, including the North Shore AFL-CIO.

Key Legislative Victories

Working families will benefit from a number of key legislative victories, including:

• Postal Reform Act which will provide needed financial and operational changes to the USPS, putting it on the path toward financial stability.

• CHIPS & Science Act which provides federal aid to encourage the construction of microprocessor manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

• Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower the cost of clean energy and make key reforms to Medicare and the Affordable Care Act

• 2023 Appropriations Bill includes a $25 million budget increase for the NLRB to protect workers’ fundamental right to form a union.