So now it’s official. We’re in a recession. People like us have known that for a while. We’ve watched neighbors and family members worry about losing their jobs or their homes. We’ve seen real wages decline for working families. And we’ve watched Congress bail out the banks and finance companies as a way to stimulate the economy.
But in this time of bailouts, there’s one economic stimulus solution the politicians aren’t talking about: Give workers the freedom to form a union without illegal or coercive interference from powerful employers and their special interest backers.
When workers are free to choose to join a union, our economy can work for everyone again. That’s why we need the Employee Free Choice Act—a bill in Congress that would help to level the playing field and give workers the freedom to choose a union.
- According to American Rights at Work, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would:
Help America’s working families improve their standard of living. Workers in unions earn 30 percent higher wages and are 59 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance. - Fix a broken system that gives corporations far too much power. When workers try to organize unions, they are often harassed and intimidated; 25 percent of companies unlawfully fire pro-union workers.
- Restore fairness and the promise of the American Dream, with a robust middle class, economic growth, and shared prosperity.
EFCA is a simple solution that is supported by a bipartisan coalition in Congress that includes Senator Bob Casey.
Unfortunately, Senator Arlen Specter has not chosen which side he’s on. In an article he wrote for the Harvard Journal on Legislation Sen. Specter declared that he has too many questions about allowing workers to freely organize a union in their workplace to better their wages under EFCA.
Keystone Progress wants to help Sen. Specter make up his mind.
Join us in telling him that American families need the workplace protections provided by the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1041).http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/s/specterEFCA
Michael Morrill
Executive DirectorKeystone Progresswww.keystoneprogress.org
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