Labor's Legislative Agenda

Good news to report, Brothers and Sisters! Philadelphia Building Trades Business Manager John J. Dougherty has been in frequent communication with U.S. Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) and Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA) about the glaring inequity of the IRS no longer permitting union member's dues from being tax-deductible. Both Senator Casey and Congressman Boyle have signaled their willingness to take on this vitally important issue to labor in the halls of Congress as soon as possible. John Dougherty has publicly thanked the two legislators, not only for their willingness to take this financial fairness issue head-on, but for all their past support of labor over the years. We will keep you apprised of developments in our effort to have union dues once again be tax-deductible within the federal tax code.

In 2017, former President Donald Trump signed the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (TCJA) into law. Among its many flaws, the act worsened a tax code double standard that tilts the scales against workers. Employers, especially large corporations, have the upper hand at the negotiating table for many reasons, including their ability to fully deduct management and legal costs, such as those involved in resisting unionization campaigns and negotiating with unions. Meanwhile, workers, who are often represented by unions in these negotiations, cannot deduct the cost of the dues we pay to support our unions. In other words, workers cannot deduct an important cost of earning their income, while employers can deduct the costs of maximizing their profits at the expense of workers.

It's not remotely fair and we're doing something about it. The re-institution of the tax-deductible status of union dues is the top legislative priority of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, now that the Biden Administration is in power.

Welcome to Labor's Legislative Agenda, created by the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. The purpose of this page is to keep all union members up to date on many of the national, state and local legislative priorities for the labor movement, not only for the Greater Philadelphia region but often for all union Brothers and Sisters across the country. Please check back often and feel free to weigh in on the issues we discuss, as this page will be updated regularly. Give it a "Like" and invite pro-union friends to join as well. Thanks for stopping by!