| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to labor unions and workers' rights. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 101.001, Labor Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 101.001. RIGHT TO ORGANIZE. All persons engaged in any |
|
|
kind of labor may associate and form trade unions and other |
|
|
organizations to protect themselves [in their personal labor in |
|
|
their respective employment]. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 101.003, Labor Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 101.003. RIGHT TO BARGAIN. A person's inherent right |
|
|
to organize [work] and to bargain freely with the person's |
|
|
employer[, individually or] collectively[,] for terms of the |
|
|
person's employment may not be denied or infringed by law or by any |
|
|
organization. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 101.101(1), Labor Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(1) "Enforcement officer" means the [attorney |
|
|
general,] district attorney[,] or county attorney. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Sections 101.102(a) and (b), Labor Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The legislature finds that [because] the activities of |
|
|
labor unions benefit [affect] the economic conditions of the |
|
|
country and the state [by entering into almost all business and |
|
|
industrial enterprises, labor unions affect the public interest and |
|
|
are charged with a public use]. |
|
|
(b) Workers and labor unions must be protected [without |
|
|
regard to whether they are unionized]. The right to organize [work] |
|
|
is the right to live. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 101.103(a), Labor Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) This subchapter shall be liberally construed to: |
|
|
(1) achieve the purposes provided by Section 101.102; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(2) protect the rights of labor unions and of working |
|
|
persons to work and to organize for their mutual benefit in |
|
|
connection with their work. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Section 101.115, Labor Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 101.115. CONSTRUCTION OF FEE RESTRICTIONS. Sections |
|
|
[101.111,] 101.113[,] and 101.114 may not be construed as |
|
|
preventing any type of bargaining agreement or limiting the |
|
|
bargaining power of a labor union. |
|
|
SECTION 7. Section 101.123(b), Labor Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor |
|
|
punishable by[: |
|
|
[(1)] a fine of not more than $500[; |
|
|
[(2) confinement in the county jail for not more than |
|
|
60 days; or |
|
|
[(3) both the fine and confinement]. |
|
|
SECTION 8. The following provisions are repealed: |
|
|
(1) Sections 101.004, 101.109, 101.111, 101.112, and |
|
|
101.117, Labor Code; |
|
|
(2) Subchapters B, D, E, F, and G, Chapter 101, Labor |
|
|
Code; and |
|
|
(3) Section 15.05(e), Business & Commerce Code. |
|
|
SECTION 9. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
conduct that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
Conduct that occurs before the effective date of this Act is |
|
|
governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
|
|
of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
|
|
purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |