Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego city council member and former attorney for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), is seeking to win a US House seat with a central focus on reforming federal labor law. Von Wilpert is campaigning to implement legislation she helped draft, known as the Protecting the Right to Organize (Pro) Act.
The Pro Act, which would update the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, aims to strengthen protections for workers who organize. Proposed changes include allowing the NLRB to assess monetary penalties for labor violations and imposing liability on corporate executives. Von Wilpert stated that one of her priorities for running for Congress is to "finally get labor law reform across the finish line."
The legislation originated from a meeting of lawyers over a decade ago, where they discussed amendments to the National Labor Relations Act. Von Wilpert worked with Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott and Senator Patty Murray on the bill. While the Pro Act has been introduced in Congress annually since 2019 and passed the House in 2021, it has not advanced in the Senate.
In the upcoming November election, von Wilpert will face Jim Desmond, a Trump-endorsed San Diego county supervisor. The newly redrawn district is described as slightly leaning in favour of Democrats, though polls indicate a close contest between the two candidates.