Show-Me State Times

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has joined Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Haley Stevens (MI-11) to reintroduce the bipartisan Warehouse Worker Protection Act. The proposed legislation seeks to address workplace safety concerns for nearly 2 million warehouse workers by banning hazardous work speed quotas that have been linked to high rates of injuries.

“Corporations need to prioritize their workers’ safety and well-being over profits. This bipartisan legislation will hold the warehouse industry accountable while combatting the industry’s worst practices. It’s time to put workers’ safety first and treat them with the dignity they deserve,” said Senator Hawley.

Senator Markey also spoke about the bill, stating, “Workers deserve to clock in knowing they will return home safe and healthy at the end of their shift. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would protect the basic health and dignity of workers from corporate bosses who time and again have prioritized unfettered greed and profit over their own people. I am proudly in solidarity with nearly two million warehouse workers nationwide in the fight to ensure that their rights, safety, and dignity are protected.”

The act proposes several measures: establishing standards for safer workplaces, prohibiting speed quotas, and protecting warehouse employees' right to unionize without interference. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has endorsed the bill.

Earlier in this Congress, Senator Hawley introduced a pro-worker framework focused on improving workplace conditions and supporting union jobs. He has also worked on other legislation aimed at accelerating contract negotiations for new unions.