Dear Chairman Walberg and Members of the House Education and Workforce Committee:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to oppose H.R. 1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025, which would deny protection under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to hundreds of thousands of workers employed by tribal-owned and-operated enterprises on Indian land.
The AFL-CIO respects the principle of tribal sovereignty and acknowledges the unique status of tribal governments. We also believe that honoring tribal sovereignty and protecting workers’ fundamental rights are not mutually exclusive. Tribal sovereignty should not be used to strip workers, many of whom are not Native American and have no voice in tribal governance, of their federally protected right to form a union and bargain collectively.
H.R. 1723 would exempt a wide range of commercial enterprises from NLRA protections, including casinos, hotels, construction companies, power plants, and retail businesses. These enterprises compete directly with non-tribal businesses, employ large numbers of non-Native workers, and serve a broad public. Denying these workers basic labor rights would leave them without any enforceable recourse to improve their wages, benefits, and working conditions.
We welcome opportunities to work with tribal governments, members of Congress, and other stakeholders to ensure that both tribal sovereignty and workers’ rights are respected. But we cannot support legislation that categorically removes NLRA protections for workers in tribal enterprises.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose H.R. 1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025.
Sincerely,
Jody Calemine
Director, Government Affairs