SALT Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2952
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-21T19:44:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Start Applying Labor Transparency Act" (SALT Act), H.R. 2952, aims to increase transparency in labor relations by requiring detailed reporting of certain financial transactions and agreements involving labor organizations (unions) and consultants. It amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA), a law that governs how unions handle finances and report activities, to clarify and expand reporting rules for efforts to influence employees' decisions about unionizing or bargaining collectively.
Key Provisions
- Reporting by Labor Organizations (Amendments to Section 201 of LMRDA):
- Unions must file detailed reports with the Secretary of Labor for any fiscal year in which they make payments, loans, promises, or agreements to employees (or groups of employees) of non-union employers. These are intended to persuade employees to join, avoid, or influence how they exercise rights to organize and bargain collectively, unless the payments are disclosed to those employees at the time or beforehand.
- Unions must also report agreements with labor relations consultants, independent contractors, or organizations that involve persuading employees on organizing rights or providing information about employee or employer activities during labor disputes (excluding info used only in legal proceedings like court cases or arbitrations).
- Reports must include payments under such agreements and detail: dates and amounts; names, addresses, and positions of recipients; full explanations of circumstances; terms of any agreements; and the name of the targeted employer plus the location of their affected facility.
- Existing subsections are renumbered to accommodate the new requirements.
- Reporting by Consultants and Recipients of Payments (Amendments to Section 202 of LMRDA):
- Individuals or entities receiving payments, loans, or promises from others to seek employment with a third party (e.g., an employer) must report if the goal is partly or fully to persuade that third party's employees on organizing or bargaining rights, or to supply a union with information about employee or employer activities in a labor dispute (again, excluding info for legal proceedings).
- Initial reports must be filed within 30 days of entering such an agreement, including business name, address, and detailed terms/conditions.
- Annual reports are required for each fiscal year with payments, covering receipts from unions for labor advice/services (with sources) and related disbursements/purposes, in categories set by the Secretary of Labor.
- A minor update to the existing law ensures these new reports align with prior reporting rules.
- Implementation (Section 3):
- The Secretary of Labor must issue necessary regulations within 6 months of the bill's enactment to enforce these changes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The LMRDA already requires unions and consultants to report certain financial dealings related to labor activities, but this bill adds specific new subsections (201(c) and 202(c)) to explicitly cover payments and agreements aimed at influencing organizing efforts or gathering dispute-related information.
- It expands details in reports, such as identifying targeted employers and facilities, which were not previously mandated at this level.
- It introduces stricter timelines (e.g., 30-day initial reporting for consultants) and broader categories of reportable activities, closing potential gaps in transparency for "persuasive" actions.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of Labor will face increased administrative workload to process new reports, develop forms/regulations, and potentially investigate non-compliance, requiring additional resources for enforcement.
- On Citizens (Especially Employees): Greater transparency could help workers better understand external influences on their organizing rights, reducing hidden persuasion tactics and promoting informed decisions about unions.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. labor practices.
- Overall, it may deter undisclosed influence campaigns, fostering fairer labor environments but adding paperwork burdens.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Labor Organizations (Unions): Primary reporters for payments and consultant agreements; must comply with detailed disclosures, potentially increasing operational costs.
- Labor Relations Consultants and Independent Contractors: Required to self-report agreements and finances, which could affect their business practices and client relationships.
- Employers: Indirectly affected as targets of reported activities; gain visibility into union tactics but may face more scrutiny in disputes.
- Employees: Benefit from transparency about persuasive efforts but are not direct reporters.
- Department of Labor: Oversees implementation and enforcement.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens LMRDA enforcement by clarifying ambiguous reporting areas, potentially leading to more lawsuits or penalties for non-disclosure (e.g., fines or criminal charges under existing LMRDA provisions). It does not alter core employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act but enhances oversight.
- Constitutional: Aligns with First Amendment protections for speech in labor contexts by focusing on financial disclosures rather than banning activities; no apparent conflicts with free association or due process rights.
- Political: Could shift power dynamics in labor relations by exposing union strategies, appealing to pro-transparency advocates while drawing criticism from unions for added bureaucracy. As introduced in the 119th Congress (2025), it reflects ongoing debates over union influence amid evolving worker organizing trends.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38], Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Start Applying Labor Transparency Act — issued 2025-04-17 — PDF (6 pages)