(Oregon News Service) A bill in Congress aims to close a tax loophole allowing companies to deduct anti-union activities. 

The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act has support from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden - D-OR - and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley - D-OR - and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici - D-Beaverton - and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle - D-Springfield. 

Currently, many employers write anti-union consultation off in their taxes as business expenses. 

Isabela Gonzalez works at an Apple store in Portland, where she said she was subject to an anti-union campaign - despite the fact that her store was not in the process of organizing.

"If Apple would hire an anti-union firm to provide them the tools necessary to prevent us at Apple to unionize as a whole," said Gonzalez, "that really speaks of not allowing their workers to have an equal voice and allowing them the control."

Critics say the bill wouldn't raise much revenue and could be hard to enforce. The House version of the bill is currently in the Committee on Ways and Means.

Companies spend more than $430 million each year on union avoidance consultants, according to an estimate from the Economic Policy Institute. Elena Lopez is a senior legislative specialist with the Communication Workers of America.

"It's unfair that taxpayers are paying, essentially, for companies to bust unions," said Lopez, "when we know unions bring about so much equity and workplace fairness. They help with safety and health violations, make it safer for workers."

Supporters of the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act also point out that companies could be running afoul of the National Labor Relations Act, which lays out that workers have the right to freely organize unions.