Proposed legislation would restore worker tax cuts, support unionization efforts

Democrat senators introduced two bills Thursday that they claim will make the tax code fairer for workers. The bills aim to ease workers’ tax burden and crack down on corporate anti-union practices.

“For too long, the deck in Washington has been stacked against workers. My bills will use the tax code to help level the playing field for workers and empower them to exercise their right to organize,” Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), a co-sponsor of both bills, said in a statement. “There are common sense steps to restore fairness to our nation’s tax code and stop rewarding corporations’ bad behavior when taking advantage of hardworking Americans and their families.”

The Tax Fairness for Workers Act would allow workers to deduct common employment expenses such as travel and uniform costs, restoring a deduction removed from tax law in 2017. Workers would be able to deduct business expenses, just as employers can. The bill, which has more than 30 Democrat co-sponsors, also would allow workers to deduct their union dues. 

The second bill, the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act, which has more than 20 Democratic co-sponsors, “would end taxpayer subsidization of anti-union activities by preventing corporations from deducting their union-busting expenses from their taxes.” 

“I was proud to support the Tax Fairness for Workers Act and the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act to stop rewarding big corporations for union-busting tactics and finally put our workers and their families over corporate profits,” stated Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), a co-sponsor.

The bills have the support of the labor community. 

“It is no secret that wealthy corporations have used every trick in the book to put their profits over their workers,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said. “Now is the time to fix this broken system by putting working people first. It’s simple —  companies shouldn’t be rewarded for union-busting. And our tax code should grant relief to working people  — who actually need it — by allowing them to deduct union dues and work-related expenses. By passing the Tax Fairness for Workers Act and No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act, Congress would take a huge step forward to a fairer, more just tax code.”