HARRISBURG, June 24 – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., that would allow recycled materials to be used in stuffed toys passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on concurrence today and will now head to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk to be signed into law. This legislation ( H.B. 1333 ) would bring Pennsylvania in line with all other global stuffed toy requirements, enabling manufacturers and retailers to make and sell stuffed toys with recycled materials in the commonwealth. “This is commonsense legislation. Since the law first went into effect in 1961, the manufacturing industry, the retail industry and consumer demands have changed drastically,” said Dawkins, chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. “Not only is the use of recycled materials commonplace because it’s safe and the materials undergo the same extensive testing as new materials, but it also allows toy manufacturers to reach their sustainability goals and is better for the environment. “Clarifying this law will bring Pennsylvania law in line with all other global stuffed toy requirements and enable manufactures to make and sell stuffed toys with recycled materials across the country and globally.” Dawkins said he thanks his colleagues for their support of this environmentally and business friendly legislation, and he looks forward to Shapiro signing the Read more
HARRISBURG, June 24 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed a bill ( H.B. 2153 ) sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., that would update the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act to address the issues of split rates and custom fabrication. This legislation would prohibit the practice of paying “split rates” on publicly funded construction projects and ensure that custom fabrication work done by tradespeople away from the main job site is paid to the prevailing wage. “This is as simple as ensuring that companies awarded public construction project contracts are paying their workers fairly and to the prevailing wage standard set by the secretary of Labor and Industry,” said Dawkins, chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. Since off-site work is not currently covered by the Prevailing Wage Act, many contractors use this loophole to pay their employees a sub-standard “shop” rate when they do this work and only pay the prevailing wage when the workers are on the jobsite installing these assemblies, which cheats the intent of the law and undercuts honest contractors in the bidding process, while exploiting their labor force for increased profits, Dawkins said. And the use of modular construction is expected to increase in the future, which will lead to further exploitation of this loophole if it’s not closed now. Similar Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 – The Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee held an informational meeting today to hear from industry experts on the harmful effects worker misclassification has on Pennsylvania workers. The committee heard testimony from Christopher Hallock, deputy secretary, Bureau of Safety and Labor-Management Relations, Department of Labor and Industry; Paul Prendergast, East Atlantic State Regional Council of Carpenters; Minister Rosilynn Gilliard, a driver with Spark Driver; and Julia Simon-Mishel, supervising attorney with Philadelphia Legal Assistance. “Misclassification is a significant issue affecting Pennsylvania’s workforce and economy. A misclassified worker is denied essentially all workplace protections, most of which apply only to workers who are employees,” Hallock said. “Since 2023, approximately 300 misclassified employees were injured, resulting in $450,000 in lost compensation. Already in 2024, as of May 27, there have been 6,455 misclassified workers, resulting in $100.3 million in underreported wages and $1.7 million in underreported UC tax contributions.” “In the construction industry, misclassification is unfortunately all-too-common,” Prendergast said. “This is not a union or non-union issue, a public vs. private construction issue, or even an issue solely for the victimized workers. Misclassification of workers is an Read more
HARRISBURG, May 7 – The week of May 6-12 being “National Nurses Week,” the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee held an informational meeting today to discuss the causes of, and solutions to, the nursing workforce crisis in Pennsylvania. The committee invited nurses from across the commonwealth to testify from their personal experience and expertise to the causes of the workforce crisis in healthcare. “The problem is the working conditions. Between unacceptable staffing levels and escalations in workplace violence, nurses are finding other things to do with their licenses or taking early retirement,” Maureen May, RN at Temple University Hospital, said. “We have the nurses in PA, but they're sitting on the sidelines. They don’t want to subject themselves to moral injury and risk their license or personal injury, so they have decided to do other things. We can get them back to the bedside – but for that to happen, the working conditions must improve.” “I am saddened to say that, since UPMC took us over ten years ago, Altoona has become a shell of what it used to be. We’ve watched our hospital’s priorities go from a focus on patients to a focus solely on numbers,” Jamie Balsamo, RN at UPMC Altoona. “I’m an example of the burnout and mass exodus away from the bedside that is plaguing our healthcare workforce. For the Read more
HARRISBURG, April 17 – The Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee today approved a bill ( H.B. 2153 ) sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., that would update the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act to address the issues of split rates and custom fabrication. This legislation would prohibit the practice of paying “split rates” on publicly funded construction projects and ensure that custom fabrication work done by tradespeople away from the main job site is paid to the prevailing wage. “This is as simple as ensuring that companies awarded public construction project contracts are paying their workers fairly and to the prevailing wage standard set by the secretary of Labor and Industry,” said Dawkins, chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. The legislation now goes to the full House where it awaits a vote. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 20 – A group of Pennsylvania state and local elected officials today issued a statement urging the U.S. Senate to move forward with considering President Joe Biden’s nominee Adeel Mangi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which is based in Philadelphia and covers the tri-state area. If confirmed, Mangi would become the first Muslim American to serve on a federal appeals court and just the third Muslim American federal judge. State Reps. Tarik Khan (D-Phila.), Arvind Venkat (D-Allegheny), Patty Kim (D-Dauphin, Cumberland), and Jason Dawkins (D-Phila.); state Sens. Nikil Saval (D-Phila.) and Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia); Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija and Philadelphia City Councilmember Nina Ahmad said the following: “As Asian-American and Muslim-American elected officials representing diverse communities in Pennsylvania, we stand with and strongly support President Biden’s nomination of Adeel Mangi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Mangi is an excellent candidate and highly qualified individual whose nomination is now at risk due to a right-wing smear campaign tainted with Islamophobic rhetoric and outright lies. “We are extremely disturbed that the nomination of a highly qualified judicial nominee would be in doubt because of the fact he is Muslim. Hate has no place in Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 15 – A key bill that would amend Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Law to provide financial relief to workers who are unemployed due to a work stoppage was passed by the state House of Representatives today, said state Rep. Jason Dawkins, majority chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. House Bill 1481 , sponsored by state Reps. Mandy Steele and Dan Miller, both D-Allegheny, would allow workers who are unemployed due to a work stoppage to be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. “Making the decision to strike is not easy by any means,” said Dawkins, D-Phila. “It’s a decision that often results in loss of pay, which is money our workers need to provide food and housing for their families. So, this legislation is of utmost importance to our workers and would protect their right to bargain for better pay and working conditions without the loss of income.” House Bill 1481 now heads to the state Senate for consideration. Read more
"As targeted hate crimes increase, it is our duty to ensure that all communities, regardless of their faith, feel secure in their places of worship,” said Dawkins. “House Bill 1772 is a testament to our commitment in safeguarding the sanctuaries where people gather to practice their beliefs. By increasing the Non-profit Security Grant Fund, we send a powerful message: everyone deserves to worship without fear, and their safety is of paramount importance." Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 18 – On Wednesday, the state House of Representatives passed two critical labor bills -- H.B. 1449 and H.B. 1465 . Both bills now head to the state Senate for consideration. House Bill 1449, sponsored by state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, would establish a statewide responsible contractor law, setting clear requirements that firms bidding on publicly funded infrastructure projects must meet and requiring firms to have a state or federal registered apprenticeship program and pay prevailing rate. “Investing in our infrastructure is a top priority,” said state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., majority chair of the PA House Labor and Industry Committee. “However, investing in the right people to lead these major infrastructure projects is just as important. This legislation would ensure that the commonwealth has a skilled craft labor workforce for years to come.” House Bill 1465, sponsored by state Rep. Dave Delloso, D-Delaware, would apply the Prevailing Wage Act to investor-owned utilities, such as water, sewer and gas. The legislation would apply the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s prevailing wage rates and minimum safety standards to all contracted construction work completed on underground utility systems that are regulated by the Public Utility Commission, including water, sewer and gas. “Our neighbors rely on utilities – they need these services. It is critical that we have a Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Sep. 21 – In light of recent demands presented by city school workers to the Philadelphia School District, members of the Philadelphia House and Senate Delegations today expressed their steadfast support for members of Unite Here Local 634. The delegation members, who participated in a rally held earlier today by the school workers, stated that they are fighting along with the union for a dignifying contract that could guarantee livable wages for workers before their current collective bargaining agreement expires on Sept. 30. “Workers are clamoring for the elementary right to get a fair salary to pay for rent and buy food for their families,” said delegation chairwoman Morgan Cephas. “They are requesting respect. These are employees pleading for provisions that are plain-to-see needs and commonsense demands. Their voices can longer be ignored. The countdown starts for fair pay and transparent terms in a new bargaining agreement,” added Cephas. State Sen. Nikil Saval, chair of the PA Senate’s Philadelphia Delegation, explained that the food service and student climate staff throughout schools provide vital care for Philadelphia children from the moment they walk through the doors. “These workers are the lowest paid in the school district; they are paid so little that the district is currently in violation of the city wage ordinance,” Read more
As majority chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee, PA state Rep. Jason Dawkins is proud to stand in solidarity with Teamsters representatives and UPS workers as they demand a fair contract. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 27 – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., that would allow recycled materials to be used in stuffed toys passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by a vote of 163-40. This legislation ( H.B. 1333 ) would bring Pennsylvania in line with all other global stuffed toy requirements, enabling manufacturers and retailers to make and sell stuffed toys with recycled materials in the commonwealth. “This is really just commonsense legislation,” said Dawkins, chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. “Not only is the use of recycled materials commonplace because it is safe and the materials undergo the same extensive testing as new materials, but it also allows toy manufacturers to reach their sustainability goals and is better for the environment.” House Bill 1333 is a companion bill to S.B. 756 , introduced by Pennsylvania Sens. Devlin Robinson, John Kane and Art Haywood. The bill now goes to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Read more
"It's about time," Dawkins said. "No more games and no more waiting; the people of Pennsylvania deserve a minimum wage that is fair and competitive with our neighboring states. There's still a lot of work to do, but I'm pleased with the direction we're headed. Raising the minimum wage will raise the wage of more than a million people in the commonwealth, improve people's financial security and grow the state's economy." Read more
HARRISBURG, June 22 – During a voting meeting Thursday, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee reported two pieces of legislation, H.B. 1449 and H.B. 1465 , out of committee and to the House floor. House Bill 1449, sponsored by state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, would establish a statewide responsible contractor law, setting clear requirements that firms bidding on publicly funded infrastructure projects must meet and requiring firms to have a state or federal registered apprenticeship program and pay the prevailing wage rate. “One needs to look no further than the recent collapse of I-95 and its expedient repair by our skilled tradesmen and women to know we need to seriously invest in our infrastructure and in the continued training of skilled laborers in the commonwealth,” said state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., majority chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. “This legislation would ensure that Pennsylvania has a skilled craft labor workforce that will bolster our infrastructure and build our state’s future.” House Bill 1465, sponsored by state Rep. Dave Delloso, D-Delaware, would apply the Prevailing Wage Act to investor-owned utilities, such as water, sewer, gas and electric providers. The legislation would apply the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s prevailing wage rates and minimum safety standards to all contracted construction work completed on underground utility systems that Read more
Chairman of the Pa. House Labor and Industry Committee Rep. Jason Dawkins addresses Republican arguments made against his bill that would raise the minimum wage for Pa. workers. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 20 – A bill ( H.B. 1500 ) sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., that would increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania to $15 per hour by 2026 and set the tipped wage to 60% of the minimum wage passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today. This legislation would increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania to $11 per hour by Jan. 1, 2024; $13 per hour by Jan. 1, 2025; and $15 per hour by Jan. 1, 2026. The minimum wage would be indexed to inflation beginning in 2027. “It’s about time. No more games and no more waiting; the people of Pennsylvania deserve a minimum wage that is fair and competitive with our neighboring states. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m pleased with the direction we’re headed,” Dawkins said. “Raising the minimum wage will raise the wage of more than a million people in the commonwealth, improve people’s financial security and grow the state’s economy.” House Bill 1500 is a companion bill to S.B. 743 , introduced by state Sen. Dan Laughlin, chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. The bill will go to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Read more
“The people of the commonwealth deserve fair compensation for their work, and this is a step in that direction,” Dawkins said. “But make no mistake, this is a compromise. If it was entirely up to Democrats, we would do it for real and it would have all the bells and whistles that folks deserve because that’s what we believe in — people.” Read more
Pa. House Labor and Industry Committee Majority Chairman Jason Dawkins says workers earning minimum wage have waited long enough for a raise. Dawkins and his Democratic colleagues voted to advance legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $15/hr. over the next three years. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 13 – During a voting meeting Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee reported three pieces of legislation, H.B.1333 , H.B.1354 and H.B.1500 , out of committee and to the House floor. H.B.1500 would increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania from $7.25 to $11 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2024; $13 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2025; $15 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2026 and indexed to inflation after. There would be annual cost-of-living increases beginning in 2027. The bill also sets the minimum wage for tipped workers at 60% of the hourly minimum wage. This is companion legislation to S.B.743 , introduced by Sen. Dan Laughlin, chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. “The minimum wage in Pennsylvania has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009, which is far too long. It’s not livable or viable and leaves us far behind our neighboring states,” state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., majority chairman of the House Labor and Industry Committee said. “The people of the commonwealth deserve fair compensation for their work, and this is a step in that direction. But make no mistake, this is a compromise. If it was entirely up to Democrats, we would begin with a higher minimum for working people, because that’s what we believe in — people.” H.B.1354, sponsored by Rep. Regina Young, would increase the penalties for Child Labor Act Violations from $500 to $1,000 for Read more
HARRISBURG, June 6 – During a voting meeting Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee reported two pieces of legislation, HB181 and SB226 , out of committee and to the House floor. The House bill would establish the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program and the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund in Pennsylvania. The bill also would establish the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Advisory Board to provide a public education campaign and assist the Department of Labor and Industry with the implementation of the act. “Paid leave means a stronger Pennsylvania. Forcing people to make the impossible choice between work and family is not only harmful to Pennsylvanians, but it also hurts our state economy,” said Rep. Jason Dawkins, chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee. “Passing this legislation and establishing a paid family and medical leave program is beneficial to families and the economy because people with peace of mind are better able to focus on the task at hand, both at home and at work.” The Senate bill would amend the Fire and Panic Act to allow Department of Human Services licensed family child-care homes until Sept. 6 or the expiration of their current license to comply with the Fire and Panic Act. Read more
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