The following bill passed the House Labor & Industry committee along party lines, 14-12 on June 16, 2025
The Bill: HB1540 (Rep.Siegel-D)
Title: Buy America, Buy Union Grant Program
What Does it Mean: This is a Grant program that serves only American, and Union made, no non-unionized companies apply. This is specifically Pro-Union Bill.
The Go Big Small Biz Network’s Position: We oppose. This bill creates a grant program that exclusively benefits unionized and American-made businesses, effectively shutting out most small, non-union enterprises. While promoted as pro-worker, this is really a pro-union, pro-big business measure that threatens small businesses and free-market competition.
Risks to Small Business
- Unfair Competition: Non-union small businesses will face major disadvantages, unable to access grants simply due to their structure.
- Fewer Bidding Opportunities: This bill reduces the number of eligible businesses for contracts, hurting innovation and regional growth.
- Loss of Market Freedom: It forces a one-size-fits-all union model and strips small firms of the flexibility they rely on.
Ideological Overreach
Supporting workers doesn’t require supporting unions only. Forcing unionization through grant qualifications is coercive. Workers and businesses deserve freedom of choice—not legislative pressure. Claiming this bill supports American workers ignores the fact that over 90% of them are not in unions.
Big Business Wins, Small Business Loses
Ironically, this bill helps large corporations that already operate under union contracts—not the small, local manufacturers and family businesses that make up the heart of our economy. It consolidates power instead of expanding opportunity.
Conclusion
This bill picks winners and losers based on union affiliation—not merit or performance. That’s not pro-worker, it’s anti-competitive.
Quotes:
Rep. Siegel(D), “More workers should be part of unions. More liveable wage. We want to pick unions. A vote against this Bill is against the American worker. We should be picking the American Union.”
Rep. Mike Jones (R), “Manufacturers outside will get PA Business. Unionized Caterpillar moved out of York, PA.”
Rep. Anderson(R), “7.8% of US is unionized. In the Golden Age workers were exploited and unions protected them. 1960’s-40% of workers were union. But we have gone from 40%-7.8%. This is Pro-Union and Anti-American. You are picking the 10% over the 90%.”
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