Bernie Sanders releases plan to double union membership as Democrats fight for labor support

Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders released a plan Wednesday that aims to dramatically increase U.S. labor union membership. The Vermont independent’s sweeping proposal would make it easier for workers to join unions, end the so-called right-to-work laws recently favored by Republicans and bar the replacement of striking workers, his campaign said Wednesday. It would also stop federal contracts to companies that pay workers less than $15 per hour, outsource jobs or discourage workers from forming unions, among other measures.