Portland
will Celebrate Anniversary of Battle in
Seattle
December 5th marks the 10 year
anniversary of the protests against the WTO
in Seattle. It also happens to coincide with
one of the WTO's largest meetings since the
Seattle protests, as member-nations continue
negotiations to expand the WTO. Portland
will host one of dozens of events across the
United States (with many more being planned
nationally) to tell the WTO what union
members, environmentalists, local farmers
and ranchers and human rights activists
tried to say 10 years ago: unregulated free
trade doesn't work - it doesn't work for
local manufacturers, it doesn't work for
local food producers, it doesn't work for
workers in other countries, for the
environment, or for consumers. Check back
for more updates on the event as we get
closer!
The Weekly Update is created by the
Oregon AFL-CIO.
Remember the "tea
parties" that were held
throughout the country
calling on Congress to not
raise funds needed to help
rebuild an economy that
works for everyone? Well,
the same people are back
again with a different
issue: health care reform.
We haven't seen it in Oregon
yet, but in other parts of
the country mobs are showing
up at town hall meetings and
barraging our elected
officials.
Their message: apparently
they're part of the small
percentage of Americans who
aren't worried about their
healthcare, and don't want
reform.
Our message: we are
worried, and even if you're
not, we're betting that
someone close to you is. We
think Congress needs to
finish the work they started
before the August recess and
pass healthcare reform that
benefits everyone!
What can you do? If your
Congressman or Senator is
holding a town hall in your
area, show up. Be a voice
for healthcare reform! Check
out their websites to see
when they'll be around!
Washington, D.C. Update
Taking Down Tariffs?
Not on our Watch!
Tariffs are like a tax to
import products that weren't
made in the U.S. Their rates
depend on the product. They
were originally put in place
to encourage consumers to
purchase American-made
products, something that
creates ripple effects
throughout the economy and
helps us all. Congress is
arguing that they should
remove tariffs on two types
of products: shoes and
outdoor gear. We think this
is the worst time to make
that move. Here's why:
OSHA - the
Occupational Safety and
Health Agency ensures
that workplaces are
safe. They make sure
that a steelworker isn't
likely to get molten
metal poured on them if
a machine malfunctions,
or that a nurse isn't
going to get a
blood-borne disease at
work. These are
important precautions,
but they sometimes
require special systems
that cost money. Most
developing countries
don't take these
precautions, allowing
them to work faster and
save money - at the cost
of thousands of lives.
Our environment - it
costs money to control
pollution, safely
dispose of chemicals,
and treat water before
putting it back into our
rivers. But guess what -
it's the right thing to
do, and in the U.S. it's
the law. Unfortunately
it's not in many
countries, allowing
companies to produce
goods much more cheaply
abroad. Of course, that
savings comes at the
cost of clean water and
food sources in those
countries.
National industry
subsidies - many
developing countries
subsidize industries
they think should
prosper in their
countries. They provide
free energy, tax breaks
and subsidies to make it
more affordable for
companies to grow. While
the U.S. does offer tax
incentives for certain
businesses and behaviors
we can't compete with
many of the handouts
being offered abroad.
And don't forget - if
tariffs are removed and
costs go down that doesn't
mean the price will drop.
We're pretty sure that extra
money will end up in the
pocket of some rich CEO or
shareholder, not in our
wallet. That's why we're
telling our legislators to
vote no on S.730 and S.1439.
Health Care: What's
in it forYou?
You've asked, so we're
answering. We all understand
the big picture when it
comes to healthcare:
billions of dollars,
families going into debt,
people not getting care, and
all so that insurance
companies can make a profit.
But health care reform
should benefit everyone. How
will the various plans
Congress is discussing
affect you?
Health care reform will
stop insurance company
abuses. That's right - no
more "pre-existing
conditions," no more "well,
we only cover up to this
much, you're stuck with the
rest," and if you have kids
they'll be covered until
they're 26 so they have time
to find a good job with
healthcare coverage of their
own.
Health care reform will
save you money. This happens
in a lot of little ways. We
won't list them all, but
here are a few - when more
people have insurance you're
not paying for them to go to
the hospital, when your
doctor can provide
preventative care and make
time for follow-up
appointments (things
insurance companies often
limit) you are less likely
to need more expensive
procedures, and when private
insurance companies have to
compete with a public option
there's an incentive for
them to keep their prices
down.
Healthcare reform helps
the businesses you work for.
Right now companies that
provide healthcare are at a
disadvantage, but soon
freerider companies will
have to pay their fair share
too; small businesses will
get subsidies, since they
can't afford what big
corporations should be
paying; and companies that
enroll workers in the public
option will benefit from a
big, combined purchasing
pool that keeps costs down.
There are a lot of other
reasons reform is good for
you. Check them all out at
the AFL-CIO blog and search for
healthcare stories.
In Other News...
Verizon sale to
Frontier Shouldn't be Rushed
Raise your hand if you
live in a more rural part of
Oregon. Okay, now raise your
hand if you think rural
Oregon should have the same
opportunities that
Oregonians in metro areas
have. We thought so. One way
to ensure that rural
Oregonians have
opportunities to work for
growing businesses, share
ideas and get information is
by expending broadband
across Oregon. And one of
the biggest companies doing
that is Verizon. But Verizon
has other plans for the
Northwest.
Verizon wants to sell off
its Northwest rural
broadband division to a
smaller company called
Frontier. They're asking for
the review of this sale to
be rushed through the review
process. AFL-CIO President
Tom Chamberlain, and IBEW 89
Business Manager Ray
Egelhoff, both sent letters
to the Commission reviewing
Verizon's sale calling on
them to conduct the normal,
more lengthy review process.
Verizon has a bad track
record with selling off
rural subsidiaries to
companies that can't support
the services customers have
come to depend on, and that
can't expand at the rates
Verizon could have. This
hurts ex-Verizon employees
(in Oregon and Washington
those are our brothers and
sisters at IBEW 89) and
rural communities across the
state. The Frontier sale
might be different, but
there needs to be a complete
review process to determine
what affect this sale will
have on the communities,
individuals and employees
that have established
relationships with Verizon.
Congratulations to
Oregon's Newest State
Senator
Earlier this summer
then-Senator Vicki Walker
was appointed to chair the
state Parole Board, leaving
Senate District 7 vacant
mid-term. Today, the Lane
County Commission
unanimously appointed Chris
Edwards, who has served as a
Representative from that
area, to the Senate seat. In
the House, Edwards was a
solid vote for workers, and
stood up for middle class
issues.
A Time
for Change
Take Action
Want more union news than just a weekly update?
Check out the
AFL-CIO
national blog for up to the minute news that
affects working people across the country!
AFL-CIO Update Health Care
- Now is the Time!
Last week we talked about two important advances
in the national health care reform debate. President
Chamberlain had a blog post on Blue Oregon later
that week discussing these same two advances (Check
it out if you missed last week's update). But on
Friday a new development happened and we want to
make sure you know where your union stands. Six
senators, including Senator Wyden, signed a letter
calling on Senate leadership to slow down on health
care reform.
We think now is the time for reform. We think
that a call for delay is really a call to deter
action for another generation.
Senator Wyden's office has since said that he
still believes we should reform the health care
system this year, but there's one problem:
Conservatives who still think the health care system
works well are trying to slow down reform so that
they have more time to spread lies about what health
care reform would look like, and stop it from
happening.
Congress has tried to pass health care reform
every ten or twenty years for, well, a long time
now. There are generations of research and tens of
examples of best and worst practices available to
call on. What Americans need is not more time to do
more research; Americans need reform that will start
to lower the cost curve and that will make sure that
everyone has access to quality health care!
Oregon AFL-CIO Endorses Trumka ticket
The Oregon AFL-CIO has endorsed Richard Trumka
for AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler (a member of IBEW
local 125 from Oregon) for Secretary Treasurer, and
Arlene Holt Baker for Executive Vice President. In a
letter addressed to Mr. Trumka, President
Chamberlain praised all three leaders' experience,
and predicted that if they win they will "re-engerize
union members, help international unions and state
federations rebuild their base, and unite labor with
both our traditional allies and with new allies
ready to restore our country."
Elections will be held at the AFL-CIO
Constitutional Convention meeting in Pittsburgh in
September.
In Other News...
Business Leaders Try to Confuse the Issues, Mislead
Voters
Everywhere we turn we see conservative business
owners still telling lies about SB 519. An op-ed
this week said that because of SB 519 company bosses
won't be able to talk to their workers about how
government policies could affect job loss; business
newsletters continue to say that they won't be able
to discuss industry changes; and conservatives are
linking the Worker Freedom Act to what seems like
every other cause they are working for in Oregon.
The list of lies goes on and on.
But here's the truth - the Worker Freedom Act:
allows working people to opt-out of certain
meetings
still allows employers to hold a meeting on
any topic of their choice
is absolutely constitutional; in fact, the
Supreme Court has upheld a state's right to
protect individuals from unwanted speech
protects mandatory meetings on work-related
topics and safety issues; in fact it only
addresses three issue areas
let's working people return to their jobs -
what they're paid to do
AFL-CIO Update
Executive Council
Meets, Discusses Major
Change
The AFL-CIO Executive
Council met this week
and discussed major
reforms in Congress and
within the labor
movement. Updates
included new information
from Senator Kerry on
health reform, a
timeline and a renewed
commitment to the
original principles in
the Employee Free Choice
Act, and a speech by
AFL-CIO
Presidential-Candidate
Trumka on his vision for
the labor movement. He
is currently unopposed,
with the election
scheduled for the
AFL-CIO national
convention next month.
The Employee Free
Choice Act will not be
voted on until after the
August recess, but
Congress is still
planning on voting on
this important labor-law
reform bill this year.
There has been a lot of
talk about "compromises"
on the Employee Free
Choice Act. Here's
what's really happening:
the Employee Free Choice
Act addresses three
areas of labor law that
are in desperate need of
reform. Although the
exact reforms might not
look like they did in
the original proposal,
the bill will still
address all three areas
and will start to level
the playing field for
workers trying to have a
say at their workplaces.
Once the Employee Free
Choice Act passes
workers will be able to
form a union without the
lengthy,
employer-dominated
election system that
they currently face;
workers who form a union
will get a first
contract; and companies
that break the law will
face real punishments,
instead of the token
slap on the wrist that
the current face.
Richard Trumka gave a
speech where he laid out
his vision for the
future of the AFL-CIO.
He's looking out to the
grassroots - state
federations and CLCs
across the country, to
invigorate our
membership, motivate
change, and provide
examples for other state
and local organizations
on how to help our
growing population of
working-class Americans
who are struggling to
make ends meet. We look
forward to the
opportunity to further
develop our successful
state programs under the
leadership of the next
AFL-CIO President.
In Other News...
Phone Lines Jammed
in Oregon, Across the
Country
Thank you to all the
union members who called
their Senators and
Representative yesterday
to encourage them to
pass health reform now.
We heard reports from
the field that the first
local-office voicemail
was full by 7:30am -
before staff even got to
the office! More local
office voicemails filled
throughout the day, and
Senator Wyden's D.C.
office was having
trouble keeping up by
10am. Calls to
Representatives started
a little later in the
day, and we're still
waiting to hear back
from all of your unions
to know just how many
calls were made, but it
sounds like Oregon's
elected officials heard
our message loud and
clear - Oregonians
support health reform,
and we want to see
quality, affordable
healthcare reform as
soon as possible. Way to
go, Oregon!
AFSCME and SEIU
Members Reach
Preliminary Agreement
with State
AFSCME and SEIU
members who work for the
State of Oregon (that
means they work for all
of us - you see them
every time you request a
state service or access
hundreds of resources,
and they work all across
the state) have reached
a tentative agreement
with the State, which
will go into effect if
the members vote to
approve the contract.
Compromises include
10-14 furlough days and
forgoing raises in the
next year, with only
limited raises available
the following year, and
a 5 percent cap on
increased health
insurance premium
contributions.
According to
Bargaining Team member
and OLCC employee and
Local union Vice
President Steve Sander,
"As state workers, we
knew we were going to
have to make sacrifices
to help Oregon get
through this recession,
and we were willing to
make those sacrifices -
to help balance the
state's budget, preserve
services for Oregonians
and to help minimize
layoffs." Sander
followed up saying that
he felt all parties
involved "...tried to be
creative, flexible and
fair in attaining the
desired savings without
carrying the entire
economic burden on the
backs of the state
workers."
To Steve and all the
workers who have a
contract to depend on,
congratulations on
reaching an agreement,
and thank you for your
sacrifices to help keep
vital resources
available for all
Oregonians!
The Weekly Update is created by the Oregon AFL-CIO.
President: Tom
Chamberlain
Secretary-Treasurer:
Barbara Byrd
Take Action Today to End Violence Against Guatemalan Trade
Unionists
Since the Bush administration pushed the Central American Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA) through Congress in 2005, Guatemala has become the second
most dangerous country for trade unionists in Latin America, trailing only
Colombia, according to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The ITUC reported nine trade unionists were murdered in 2008, in addition
to two trade unionists murdered in 2007. In the two years leading up to
CAFTAs approval, no trade unionists were murdered in Guatemala. According
to the ITUCs 2009
Annual Survey:
the situation [in Guatemala] has worsened for
trade unionists. Anti-union violence is constant, with assassinations,
threats, harassment, shootings at peoples homes, raids and attacks on union
offices, and assaults and harassment of trade union leaders and their
families.
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) is urging her colleagues join her in a
letter to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom calling on him to end the
continued exploitation and
violence against workers and unions.
The U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP) is asking
worker justice activists to contact their House members today and urge them
to sign on to the Sanchez letter that is scheduled to be delivered Wednesday
to Colom. (Click
here to find out from USLEAP how you can take action and help Guatemalan
workers.)
Last year, the AFL-CIO and six Guatemalan unions filed a
CAFTA complaint with the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Trade and
Labor Affairs, calling on the Bush administration to demand the Guatemalan
government take all measures necessary to end the violence and oppression of
trade unionists.
But
this past January, just days before Bush left office, the Trade and
Labor Affairs office issued a report that confirmed the charges in the
complaint, plus additional more serious rights violations. But it took no
action. In essence, the Guatemalan government was given a six-month
reprieve, if it promised to address the issues.
In June, the AFL-CIO
Solidarity Center
released a report, Justice
for All: The Struggle for Worker Rights in Guatemala, that chronicles
the long history of repression against workers in Guatemala and the
continuing climate of violence, the need for labor law reform, the
prevalence of ethnic and gender discrimination and child labor violations.
Legislative Session Productive for Working
Oregonians
This week's special
Update focuses on accomplishments for working
families during the 2009 Legislative Session, which
ended earlier tonight. We'll be back next week on
Wednesday with you usual updates from across Oregon
and in Washington, D.C., along with actions you can
take to help other Oregonians as we build a better
state for working people.
Legislators Remember Oregon's Backbone - working people and
middle class families - During Productive
Legislative Session
For years working people have been left behind as
corporations cheat the system, and new laws help the
rich protect what they have, leaving middle class
Americans picking up the tab. This year Oregon
legislators said enough is enough, and passed many
real reforms that will help Oregon's workers keep
up.
"In the midst of the worst economic crisis we've
seen since the 1930s it is really amazing what the
legislature was able to accomplish," said Tom
Chamberlain, Oregon AFL-CIO President. "Working
people have been falling farther and farther behind,
and we finally had enough legislators willing to
stand up and say 'no, we need to protect
Oregonians.' I hope we continue to see changes like
this in the future."
Among the important issues affecting working
people that were addressed during the 2009
legislative session:
A good start to tax reform - Everyone
should pay their fair share when it comes to
taxes, but for too many years working Oregonians
have had to pick up a larger and larger percent
of the tax burden. The Oregon legislature passed
tax reform that ensures corporations and those
Oregonians who are doing well even during this
recession are paying their fair share to keep up
the roads we all use and pay for the safety
officers we all depend on.
Healthcare reform that works for working
people - No Oregonian should go without
affordable, accessible high quality healthcare.
But everyone should have options - the option to
keep your current healthcare provider, or to
pick a new private or public insurance option.
The Oregon legislature took the Health Fund
Board's work and created a comprehensive plan
that will ensure that more Oregonians can choose
quality, affordable healthcare.
The Worker Freedom Act - When you go
to work you are being paid to do a specific job.
Some employers, though, think they own your time
when you're on the clock. The Worker Freedom Act
ensures that you don't have to listen to speech
on personal issues like politics, religion and
union organizing just because you're on the
clock. Employers can still call these meetings,
but workers are now allowed to opt-out without
fear of retaliation.
Creating jobs across Oregon - The job
stimulus package early in the session, the
comprehensive transportation package and other
efforts that brought together coalitions of
worker advocates and business groups, are
already helping to keep hundreds of Oregonians
employed.
Unemployment changes - As record
numbers of Oregonians faced unemployment we
worked with the legislature to extend and
increase benefits, open up training
opportunities and ensure that going back to
school was an affordable option for unemployed
workers, and to guarantee that Oregonians
receive enough unemployment by following the
federal lead and exempting the first $2400 in
unemployment benefits from state taxes.
Returning the Initiative System to
Oregonians - The citizen initiative system
has been dominated by out-of state money for too
long. With the Secretary of State office and
many other groups we worked to protect citizens
who are trying to place important measures on
the ballot, while making it harder for
out-of-state interests who don't care about
Oregon to take advantage of our system.
Good green legislation - Working with
our partners in the environmental movement and
from business groups, we helped develop a small
loans program to make weatherization and
increased home efficiency attainable goals for
all Oregonians, regardless of income level,
while putting people to work across the state.
Protecting state employees - The
state of Oregon is more than just our government
that provides services and sets rules and
regulations. It is also an employer. Every
service the state provides also provides a job
to an Oregonian who would otherwise be out of
work. Oregon set the bar for local businesses by
passing legislation that ensures it is being a
fair employer and isn't unnecessarily
outsourcing work.
Not every elected official remembered who
they were elected to represent, though. A few
legislators were less responsive to the needs of
real Oregonians, instead voting to help big
corporations at the expense of workers and small
business owners, and protecting the coffers of
the wealthy at the expense of everyone else's
pocketbooks. Luckily they were outranked by
elected officials who listened to Oregonians'
concerns and reacted with common sense laws that
put real people first.
"We were able to get a lot done on behalf of
working Oregonians," said Chamberlain, "but
there were still many issues that could not be
addressed, in part because a few legislators
weren't willing to stand up to big business
interests. We hope to see a few good bills
brought back to the table in upcoming
legislative sessions."
The Weekly Update is created by the Oregon AFL-CIO.
The
Employee Free Choice Act is going to get
some major face time with the American public
in the coming weeks.
A new grassroots campaign,
Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act, gets
under way next week and coincides with
stepped-up mobilization action planned for the
upcoming congressional Easter recess.
The Faces campaign features
new billboards and building banners that will be
displayed throughout Washington, D.C., and in
states across the country. The billboards and
50-foot-tall building banners feature union
members, along with a quote from the workers
about why the Employee Free Choice Act is vital
for all workers to restore their freedom to form
unions and bargain for a better life.
In the banner adorning the
AFL-CIO building in Washington, D.C., Chinazo
Okolo, a member of Communications Workers of
America (CWA)
Local 3403, says she wants the Employee Free
Choice Act to become law because
I
want the economy to work for everyone.
Next week, the workers featured on the banners
and billboards will join union leaders, Sens.
Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Tom Harkin
(D-Iowa), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), West
Wing actors Martin Sheen and Bradley
Whitford on Capitol Hill to highlight the new
campaign.
Meanwhile around the country,
activists are gearing up for the April 6-17
congressional recess, arranging visits with
their lawmakers in their home offices and
planning events to build support for the
Employee Free Choice Act. Be sure to check back
for updates on those grassroots actions.
Barack Obama speaks to workers last fall on
the campaign trail.
Although the focus on the Employee Free Choice
Act is on the U.S. House and the Senate, its important to
remember the reason were closer than ever to passing this
critical bill is because working people turned out in huge
numbers to elect a president who will sign it into law. We got a
fresh reminder of that commitment yesterday when Barack Obama
paid a visit to Costa Mesa, Calif., to discuss the economy.
In his comments at the Costa Mesa
town hall meeting, Obama pointed out that making it easier
for workers to form unions is critical to making the economy
work for everyone again.
Robert Balgenorth, president of the Building
and Construction Trades Council of California, was among the
attendees, and in a question and answer session, Balgenorth
criticized the Bush administrations failure to enforce
prevailing wage laws and other protections for workers. Obama
pointed to these protections as key to strengthening the middle
classand added that workers also must have the freedom to form
unions if were going to build an economy thats sustainable in
the long term:
We think it is
important that unions have the opportunity to organize
themselvesthe business press says thats anti-business and
whenever I hear that Im always reminded of what Henry Ford said
when he first started building the Model T, and he was paying
his workers really well. And somebody asked him, they said, Why
are you paying your workers so well? He said, Well, if I dont
pay them well, they wont be able to buy a car.
part of the
problem with our economy, and the way it was growing, was that
wages and incomes for ordinary working families were flat for
the entire decade. Now, I dont need to tell you this because
youve experienced it in your own lives. Youve just barely kept
up with inflation while people at the very topwere seeing all
the benefits.
When I say that we
should make it easier for unions to organize, and observe
Davis-Bacon [rules that ensure workers on federally funded
building projects are paid a fair wage], all Im trying to do is
to restore some balance to our economy so that middle-class
families who are working hardshould be able to save, buy a
home, go on a vacation once in a while. They should be able to
save for retirement, send their kids to college, thats not too
much to ask for. Thats the American dream, and the only way we
get there is if we have bottom-up economic growth instead of
top-down economic growth.
It should be no surprise at this point that
Obama will work to protect the freedom to form unions and
bargainafter all, both
Obama and Vice President
Joe Biden have pledged their support over the past monthbut
its a delight every time its reaffirmed. When the Employee
Free Choice Act passes, we have a president who will sign it
into law. Its what millions of workers fought for last year,
and its what we need to turn around our economy
Election Wins Are Chance for Change, Not Change Itself
One year ago, none of us would have dreamed
of the sweeping changed our state and
our nation experienced on Election Day
2008. The hard work of union members
knocking on doors, working the phones,
leafleting the worksite and more made
the difference in many key races. We
should take some time to celebrate those
accomplishments and what it says about
the strength of our movement.
But--to paraphrase Barack
Obama--simply winning elections is not
the change working families need. These
election wins merely present the
opportunity for us to finally make those
changes at the state and national level.
And, that means not letting up, not
resting on our laurels or just believing
that electing pro-working family
legislators means that change will
automatically come to working people. It
won't.
The Oregon AFL-CIO has an
ambitious legislative agenda designed to
rescue our ailing economy and improve
the lives of Oregon's working families.
This agenda includes:
Defending Oregon against
initiative system abuses by the
likes of Bill Sizemore.
Passing a comprehensive
transportation package that will
create thousands of living wage
jobs, improve our economy and put
people back to work.
Working to ensure all Oregonians
have access to affordable,
high-quality health care.
Protecting and expanding the
rights of workers to organize and
bargain for better wages, benefits
and working conditions.
Improving government
accountability to ensure that your
tax dollars are used to create
jobs--not just give corporations a
break--and that state work isn't
outsourced when it can provide jobs
here in Oregon.
In addition we MUST ensure the passage of the Employee
Free Choice Act in Congress.
President-Elect Obama has said he will
make it the law of the land. Elected
officials we supported have pledged to
vote for it. But pledges and campaign
promises are not enough--especially when
the future of our nation's middle class
is at stake.
The Employee Free Choice Act would
make it easier for workers to form a
union, stiffen penalties for
corporations that coerce, bully or
intimidate workers engaged in union
organizing and force employers to stop
dragging out first-contract
negotiations. It allows workers to
decide how to form a union--by majority
sign up or election--rather than
corporations.
We saw during the election the
outrageous ads attacking the Employee
Free Choice Act and candidates who
supported it. If you thought that was
bad, the gloves have come off and there
is a full frontal assault already taking
place on the bill. Even Tom Brokaw and
Newsweek are parroting the opposition's
talking points as if they were objective
fact.
On each of these issues--from those at the
state level to those in Congress--we'll
have to work hard to counteract the deep
pockets of anti-union forces and that
means knocking on doors, working the
phones and educating family, friends and
coworkers and showing the force of our
movement just as we did during the
election.
Are you ready to get to work?
The Weekly Update
is created by the Oregon AFL-CIO.
President: Tom
Chamberlain
Secretary-Treasurer: Barbara Byrd
Last week we told you that anti-union forces
are already mounting attacks on pro-working
family candidates for their support of the
federal The Employee Free Choice Act. Next week
we'll tell you more about who's behind these
attacks. But, first things first. Recent surveys
of union members show nearly half of all union
workers have never heard of The Employee Free
Choice Act. So when you are done reading this
email, pass it on to friends, family and other
union members.
The Problem.
America's working people are struggling to
make ends meet these days and our middle class
is disappearing. The best opportunity working
people have to get ahead economically is by
uniting to bargain with their employers for
better wages and benefits.
But the current system for forming unions and
bargaining is broken. Today, CEOs get contracts
wouldn't dream of working without a contract to
protect their wages and benefits. But many deny
their employees the same opportunity. Although
U.S. and international laws are supposed to
protect workers' freedom to belong to unions,
employers routinely harass, intimidate, coerce
and even fire workers struggling to gain a union
so they can bargain for better lives.
Unfortunately, U.S. labor law is powerless to
stop them. Employees are on an uneven playing
field from the first moment they begin exploring
whether they want to form a union.
The Solution.
The Employee Free Choice Act, supported by a
bipartisan coalition in Congress, would level
the playing field for workers and employers and
help rebuild America's middle class. This
legislation passed the U.S. House of
Representatives, but died in the U.S. Senate.
That's why changing the make-up of the U.S.
Senate is so critical in this next election. We
must elect a pro-working family senator who will
cast the right vote on this important bill.
What is the Employee Free Choice Act?
Ten Key Facts.
2. Too few ever get that chance because
employers routinely block their efforts to
form unions and our current legal system is too
broken to stop them. As many as one-quarter of
employers illegally fire workers who try to form
unions.
3. The Employee Free Choice Act would give
workers a fair chance to form unions to improve
their lives by:
Allowing them to form unions by signing
cards authorizing union representation.
Providing mediation and arbitration for
first-contract disputes.
Establishing stronger penalties for
violation of employee rights when workers
seek to form a union and during
first-contract negotiations.
4. In the 110th Congress, the Employee Free
Choice Act has widespread support.
5. More than three-quarters of Americans--77
percent--support strong laws that give employees
the freedom to make their own choice about
whether to have a union in their workplace
without interference from management.
6. Allowing working people to choose for
themselves whether to have a union is the key
step toward rebuilding America's middle class.
Union membership brings better wages and
benefits and a real voice on the job. It's no
accident that the 25-year decline in workers'
wages in our country has paralleled a 25-year
slide in the size of the America's unions.
7. The Employee Free Choice Act would put
democracy back into the workplace. Majority
sign-up would ensure the decision whether to
form a union was made by majority choice, not by
the employer unilaterally.
8. Workers can still vote under the Employee
Free Choice Act. At any time, if 30 percent of
the workers want an election, they can have one.
And once they have a union, workers also vote to
elect their union representatives.
9. The Employee Free Choice Act has the
support of hundreds of respected organizations
and individuals, major religious denominations,
academics and civil and human rights groups and
others.
10. The AFL-CIO union movement is working in
many ways to restore good jobs, health care and
retirement security, but passing the Employee
Free Choice Act is our top priority because we
cannot create balance for working people or
rebuild the middle class unless workers
genuinely have the freedom to form unions for a
better life.
"The spread of evil is the
symptom of a vacuum. whenever evil wins, it is only
by default: by the moral failure of those who evade
the fact that there can be no compromise on basic
principles."
Ayn Rand
One year ago, none of us would have dreamed
of the sweeping changed our state and
our nation experienced on Election Day
2008. The hard work of union members
knocking on doors, working the phones,
leafleting the worksite and more made
the difference in many key races. We
should take some time to celebrate those
accomplishments and what it says about
the strength of our movement.
In addition we MUST ensure the passage of the Employee
Free Choice Act in Congress.
President-Elect Obama has said he will
make it the law of the land. Elected
officials we supported have pledged to
vote for it. But pledges and campaign
promises are not enough--especially when
the future of our nation's middle class
is at stake.
On each of these issues--from those at the
state level to those in Congress--we'll
have to work hard to counteract the deep
pockets of anti-union forces and that
means knocking on doors, working the
phones and educating family, friends and
coworkers and showing the force of our
movement just as we did during the
election.
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