UNION LEADERS CHEER INTRODUCTION OF EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

 WASHINGTON (PAI)--Union leaders cheered the formal introduction March 10 of the Employee Free Choice Act, predicting it will help restore the U.S. middle class.

 “Today is a banner day for working Americans,” said AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney in a statement after the Senate Labor Committee hearing on the bill, which he attended. Change To Win Chair Anna Burger also sat through the session. Neither testified, leaving that to workers and scholars.

 Sweeney called the bill “a milestone on the road to rebuilding our nation’s middle class” because “it will restore workers’ freedom to bargain for fair wages, job security better health care and secure pensions.”

 Expressing confidence Congress would send the bill to Democratic President Barack Obama, who promises to sign it, Sweeney called the act “a strong message that Congress is ready to move forward to build an economy that works for everyone.” 

Burger called the Employee Free Choice Act “a key part of a larger economic plan” which would be “putting workers back on a path of prosperity.” 

“Right now, millions of working families are struggling,” with job, health care and benefit losses, she added. “They’re working harder than ever before, yet they’re not able to share in the wealth they helped create. To really fix this economy...the solution is simple: Create good jobs that support a family so workers can again buy homes, cars and the necessities for their families -- and put money back into our economy.” The measure would help accomplish that, Burger stated. 

But not every lawmaker -- especially among Republicans -- is ready to move forward. House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., said that while a majority of representatives, 223, are his co-sponsors, there are only three Republicans. Senate sponsor Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has 40 co-sponsors, all Democrats. 

That didn’t stop other union leaders from stepping forward in their statements to thank congressional backers of the bill, which would help level the playing field between workers and bosses in organizing drives and in bargaining first contracts. It would also increase penalties for labor law-breaking and make it easier to get court orders against rampant violators. The union leaders preferred to hit the economic theme. 

“Millions of working families are a step closer to gaining real bargaining rights that will enable them to have a better life and will help move our nation along the road to economic recovery,” said Communications Workers President Larry Cohen. “The Employee Free Choice Act is the way to rebuild our economy, by increasing workers’ purchasing power and putting the brakes on the extreme income inequality our nation has seen over the past decade.”  

“In these dire economic times, I can’t think of a better way to restore stability to middle-class families than to strengthen unions. History shows the economy does well when unions are strong,” said Teamsters President James Hoffa. He scoffed at business’ multimillion-dollar ad campaign against it as “nonsense spread by front groups for corporate fat cats who don’t want to give up their $16,000 wastebaskets.” 

“America’s economic well-being is directly tied to that of its workforce,” added Teachers President Randi Weingarten. “Strong unions, like investments in crucial programs and increased access to health care, are crucial to the future of the country. The fierce and dishonest campaign against EFCA has been spearheaded by business interests determined to keep the balance of power tilted in their favor.”  

The United Food and Commercial Workers noted one of the leading foes of the law is Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer. The Bentonville, Ark.-based firm is notorious for its labor law-breaking against UFCW organizing, its always-low wages, its skimpy and expensive health benefits and its support for Right Wing Republicans. 

“Without the Employee Free Choice Act, workers will continue to fight a one- sided, losing battle to exercise their legal rights at work,” UFCW said in a statement. “The recent stimulus package was a necessary first step in the right direction. But if our country is to have a sound and sustainable economy, we must fully renew the opportunity for workers to achieve the American Dream. Union membership is the engine of a middle-class economy. 

“We will not let Congress forget why corporate America is spending millions of dollars on ads and lobbyists,” against the bill, the UFCW continued. “Companies like Wal-Mart are profiting from our economic downturn while thousands of Wal-Mart workers try to stay afloat with part-time incomes, unaffordable health care and questionable job security. Severe income inequality is destroying the American Dream and today we stand united to say it’s time to level the playing field for American workers.”