President Trump’s Proposed Budget Eliminates Union-Funding Harwood Grant

President Trump’s budget slashed the Department of Labor’s funding from $12.2 billion this year to $9.6 billion next year. This equals a 21% cut. On the chopping block is the DOL’s Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. You don’t know what the Susan Harwood Grant is? I didn’t either.

The Susan Harwood grant gives out grants to nonprofit organizations to train workers in dangerous jobs. At least that’s what it’s supposed to do. Instead, labor unions and labor-affiliated advocacy groups – think worker centers – received millions of dollars from the grant program under President Obama.

Many people think there are problems with Harwood grants. For example, Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC), a worker center, used grant money to urge employees to take action by “working with worker advocacy organizations to find successful ways to get your rights to decent pay and safer working conditions.” Seems like a blatant plug for union organizing to me.

One question I have is whether federal tax dollar grants should be used to further union organizing efforts. Seems like the House Appropriations Committee in the 114th Congress agrees because it concluded that the Harwood grant program is “inefficient and ineffective in achieving its intended purpose.” It’s intended purpose was to train workers in dangerous jobs not organize unions in the restaurant industry.

Matt Austin owns Austin Legal, LLC, a boutique law firm based in Ohio that limits its representation to employers dealing with labor, employment, and OSHA matters. You can call Matt at (614) 285-5342 or email him at Matt@MattAustinLaborLaw.com.