In my capacity as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions (HELP), I am working with my colleagues to promote policies that grow our economy, allow businesses to create new jobs, strengthen employee benefit program, and safeguard the rights of workers and employers. The HELP subcommittee is tasked with overseeing matters dealing with relationships between employers and employees, expanding business opportunities, employee benefits, and retirement security for American workers. 

The subcommittee has jurisdiction over a number of labor laws, including: 

National Labor Relations Act – Enacted in 1935, the NRLA recognizes the right of employees to engage in collective bargaining through representatives of their own choosing.  The National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) is the federal agency charged with implementing the NRLA.  The NLRB investigates and adjudicates representation disputes, complaints of unfair labor practices, and contract disputes.   

Labor Management Relations Act (“Taft-Hartley”) – Seeks to prevent labor-management disputes that would burden or obstruct commerce and harm the economy, by listing unacceptable labor practices for unions, guarantees certain freedoms of conduct and speech to employers, and provides for states to enact right-to-work laws.

Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (“Landrum-Griffin Act”) – Establishes a union member “Bills of Rights,” safeguards against improper disciplinary actions, freedom of speech, freedom from interference with the right to sue, and freedom from increased dues except by majority vote.  Also requires unions to issue yearly financial disclosures, and set forth specific election procedures.  

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) – Sets minimum standards that private-sector pension and health plans must met with respect to reporting and disclosure, employee participation and vesting, plan funding, and fiduciary standards.