BOYLE & NORCROSS JOIN LABOR TO INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO RESTORE LABOR UNION TAX DEDUCTIONS

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressmen Brendan F. Boyle (PA02) and Donald Norcross (NJ01) today introduced bipartisan legislation. to make the tax code fairer for workers by easing their tax burden. 

The bipartisan Tax Fairness for Workers Act will allow workers to deduct common employment expenses such as travel and uniform costs, restoring a deduction stripped by the 2017 Trump tax law. Workers will be able to deduct business expenses, just as employers can. The bill will also allow workers to deduct their union dues. Boyle (Lead) and Norcross (co-Lead), were joined by representatives of several labor unions in front of the U.S. Capitol ono Thursday afternoon to announce this legislation’s introduction.

“Labor union members are the backbone of our economy. In addition to annual dues, labor union members often incur significant costs related to their work”, said Congressman Boyle. “These extraneous costs present a challenge to many hardworking individuals who rely on these deductions to offset expenses and pay household bills. This legislation will reintroduce those deductions that were taken away several years ago and will ease some of the tax burden pressure currently faced by many middle-class families.”  

“As an electrician, I invested in myself by purchasing tools and supplies to provide for my family and advance my career just like millions of Americans do. When workers invest in themselves through union dues or purchasing equipment, they should enjoy the same tax breaks and write offs as employers and businesses do,” said Congressman Norcross. “The 2017 GOP tax law allows billionaires to write off country club dues, but stripped workers of their ability to write-off the supplies they need to make a living. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Tax Fairness for Workers Act to restore fairness and put money back into the pockets of workers who bet on themselves. I will continue to be a voice for the hard-working men and women in South Jersey and across the country and fight for them in Congress.”

“Former President Trump cut taxes for the wealthy, while sticking it to hardworking American families, who are still paying the bill”, said Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation of Teachers. “The Tax Fairness for Workers Act will restore a little fairness to the tax code by allowing hard-working middle-class families to once again deduct common employment expenses from their federal taxes—just like they could before Trump’s 2017 tax law, and just like the wealthy do now. it’s a necessary step to right a wrong. This legislation would make a noticeable difference in the monthly expenses of millions of families, because if a CEO can write off business expenses, workers should be able to do the same. There is much to reform, and this is a good place to start.”

"For too long our system has favored wealthy corporations and CEOs by allowing them to pay little or no taxes at all, while working people carry the weight of keeping our government operating, economy going, and shouldering the burden of rising costs and stagnant wages", said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. "The Tax Fairness for Workers Act would take an important step forward in unrigging the rules that keep workers down and gives many the support needed to stand together in unions. SEIU members thank Representatives Norcross and Boyle for this effort to support working families and build a stronger economy."

“For decades, the tax system has been rigged against working families”, said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Meanwhile, corporations and the super-wealthy have made out like bandits, benefitting from loopholes and special favors that allow them to avoid paying their fair share. The Tax Fairness for Workers Act would help balance the scales, enabling working people to keep more of their hard-earned money. AFSCME is proud to endorse this bill and grateful to Reps. Boyle and Norcross for their commitment to creating tax policy that empowers union members.”

"IFPTE is grateful to Congressman Boyle and Congressman Norcross for reintroducing the Tax Fairness for Workers Act", said IFPTE President Matthew Biggs. "Union membership not only gives working people a voice at work and the ability to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions --- union membership delivers broad economic benefits in local economies, improves job quality in unionized industries, decreases income inequality, and increases black household wealth. By allowing working Americans to deduct their union dues and common employment expenses, the Tax Fairness for Workers Act provides workers a fair economic benefit and recognizes the significant and broad economic value of unionization."

“The Tax Fairness for Workers Act will directly benefit millions of hard-working Americans", said Elizabeth Shuler, President of AFL-CIO. "Our tax system should no longer benefit the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. This legislation will strengthen the negotiating power of workers and their unions through the collective bargaining process and prioritize the needs of workers over big corporations. We know that union membership means good paying jobs, better wages and benefits, safer working conditions and a stronger economy and our tax system should reflect this. We call on Congress to swiftly pass this legislation on behalf of all working people.”

"The Tax Fairness for Workers Act is commonsense legislation that will provide needed balance to the tax code by restoring working Americans’ right to deduct work-related expenses like travel, uniform costs and union dues – just as their employers deduct business expenses”, said United Steel Workers Legislative Director Roy Houseman.  “We commend Reps. Boyle and Norcross and all those fighting to make our tax system fairer for working families.”

"As inflation and rising interest rates continue to hamper our economic recovery, this bill would put money back in the pockets of working Americans and restore fairness in our tax system", said AFGE President Everett Kelley. "The American Federation of Government Employees is proud to support the Tax Fairness for Workers Act and we urge Congress to pass it without delay.”

"We are currently living through one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the labor movement as more and more workers around the country join together to form unions and fight for better pay, standards and working conditions", said CWA's Dan Mauer. "As the House debates another giant handout of tax cuts for the super-rich, Congress must undo the damage that President Trump did with his tax bill that gave massive tax cuts to corporations while eliminating provisions that help working families. Our tax code must support workers seeking to organize and have a voice on the job, which is why CWA is proud to support the Tax Fairness for Workers Act."

The bipartisan Tax Fairness for Workers Act currently includes 159 co-sponsors: Colin Allred, Don Bacon, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Donald Beyer, Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Earl Blumenauer, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamaal Bowman, Brendan Boyle, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Cori Bush, Salud Carbajal, Tony Cardenas, André Carson, Matt Cartwright, Greg Casar, Sean Casten, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Yvette D. Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, Steve Cohen, Gerry Connolly, Jim Costa, Joe Courtney, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Henry Cuellar, Danny K. Davis, Madeleine Dean, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Suzan K. DelBene, Chris Deluzio, Mark DeSaulnier, Debbie Dingell, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Anna Eshoo, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Brian Fitzpatrick, Bill Foster, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Ruben Gallego, John Garamendi, Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia, Sylvia R. Garcia, Jimmy Gomez, Josh Gottheimer, Al Green, Raul Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Chrissy Houlahan, Val Hoyle, Jared Huffman, Glenn Ivey, Jeff Jackson, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Hank Johnson, Marcy Kaptur, Robin Kelly, Ro Khanna, Dan Kildee, Derek Kilmer, Andy Kim, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ann McLane Kuster, Greg Landsman, Rick Larsen, John Larson, Barbara Lee, Susie Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Ted Lieu, Stephen Lynch, Seth Magaziner, Kathy Manning, Lucy McBath, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, Jim McGovern, Rob Menendez, Grace Meng, Kweisi Mfume, Joseph Morelle, Seth Moulton, Frank Mrvan, Kevin Mullin, Jerrold Nadler, Grace F. Napolitano, Joe Neguse, Wiley Nickel, Donald Norcross, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Frank Pallone, Jimmy Panetta, Bill Pascrell, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Mary Peltola, Scott Peters, Dean Phillips, Chellie Pingree, Stacey E. Plaskett, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressley, Jamie Raskin, Deborah Ross, Raul Ruiz, Andrea Salinas, Linda T. Sánchez, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Brad Schneider, Hillary Scholten, Bobby Scott, Brad Sherman, Mikie Sherrill, Elissa Slotkin, Christopher Smith, Adam Smith, Eric Sorensen, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Eric Swalwell, Emilia Sykes, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Juan Vargas, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Maxine Waters, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jennifer Wexton, Susan Wild, Nikema Williams, Federica Wilson