The labor lobby advocates on behalf of employee interests on such familiar questions as unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, plant closings, minimum wage, health and safety, public employee pensions, education, mass transit and economic development among others. A number of times each year, the officers or legislative staff of the union federation present labor’s views to legislative committees conducting hearings on legislation of interest to the trade union movement. Frequently, staff members of the union's Department of Legislation and of affiliated unions are at the state Capitol or in Congressional offices to discuss pending bills with individual legislators and congressmen and women.
This is the “labor lobby” in action, functioning in an open, straightforward fashion, pursuing labor’s legislative objectives as set forth in policy statements of the union. Some of these objectives have to do with unions as such and the regulations that affect them, including the Taylor Law and the National Labor Relation’s Act, State Labor Relations Act, Fair labor Standard Act, Unemployment Insurance Laws, Prevailing Rate Laws and Worker Comp Laws.
Where appropriate, a position to support or oppose the legislation is formulated and memoranda are issued. A network of communication is maintained among the labor lobby representatives of union affiliates as well as the central labor councils throughout the state and country and particularly with the legislative action committees of unions.
