Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg’s campaign on Saturday released a labor plan he would pursue as president that includes raising the federal minimum wage all businesses would have to pay to $15 an hour.
In addition to strengthening union protections and other concessions, the plan also includes legislation mandating that companies give employees 12 weeks of paid family leave and seven days of paid sick leave.
The plan expands overtime protections, prohibits “right to work” laws already passed in many states for private-sector unions, prevents alleged gender discrimination, and would guarantee the right to unionize and bargain collectively to public sector employees.
“I started out in an entry-level job, and in building my business, I have always believed that our company’s most valuable asset is our 20,000 employees–and that’s why we are committed to providing good pay and the best benefits money can buy, including industry-leading paid parental leave,” Bloomberg said .
Frontrunners Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden have also proposed labor and worker policies that would increase the minimum wage, provide workers with some sort of paid family leave, and expand union powers.
Bloomberg also said his plan would give new protections for farmworkers and domestic workers, such as the minimum wage, overtime pay, and other essential labor standards.
In addition, the plan would expands protections for illegal immigrant workers by ensuring that they can join unions, report labor violations, and receive remedies without being fearful of immigration consequences.
Bloomberg, who is worth about $62 billion, said earlier he would spend whatever it took to defeat President Trump.