Urging Dems to 'Fight for Justice,' Progressives Launch 'Pass the PRO Act Holiday Tour'

Declaring that "workers are under attack," Our Revolution--the progressive advocacy group born from Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign--Communications Workers of America, and the Worker Power Coalition on Monday rallied outside the Phoenix office of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to kick off the "Pass the Pro Act Holiday Tour."

"We have a chance to pass the most important labor law since FDR, since the 1930s."

"Workers are coming together, fighting back, standing up for their rights," Our Revolution field director Mike Oles said at Monday's action.

"We have a chance to pass the most important labor law since FDR, since the 1930s," Oles added, a reference to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal reforms.

Supported by economists, labor groups, and numerous advocacy organizations, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would expand collective bargaining rights, improve access to union elections, and impose penalties on businesses that exploit their workers.

"Our goal with the PRO Act is to make sure that workers' right to organize a union isn't infringed upon by greedy corporations," Oles explained.

"We need Democrats to fight for justice and stand up," he added. "We need Kyrsten Sinema... to do the right thing... and support the PRO Act, support filibuster reform, support moving this country forward, support [President] Joe Biden's agenda."

After Monday's action in Phoenix, the campaign will demonstrate outside the Arizona Democrat's Tucson office before hitting the road to target Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), as well as Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas).

Cuellar--a corporate Democrat who is being primaried by progressive Jessica Cisneros--was the lone Democrat to join 205 Republicans in voting against the PRO Act, which the House passed in March. The evenly split Senate has not voted on the measure.

"The idea is that it's not just directed at one or two people," Dan Mauer of CWA--part of the Worker Power Coalition--toldPolitico. "Obviously, there's been a lot of attention on a couple senators who haven't signed on yet, but we really think that it's the responsibility of the whole Democratic caucus."

"Obviously we'd love Republican support, too, but that seems less likely," Mauer added. "So we're trying to build momentum to show that no matter where you are--a swing state or a blue state or anything in between--that this has got to be a priority for you."

Oles had a warning as the nation approaches the 2022 midterm election campaigns.

"We've seen time and time again," he told Politico. "When Democrats don't deliver quickly for their base and for labor, bad things happen, and you're approaching that precipice again."

"We've lived through that many times," Oles added. "Let's not make that mistake. Let's get some major labor law reform going so workers can have a real voice on the job."