Teamsters, Allies Rally for the Employee Free Choice Act

Workers, Fellow Labor Unions, Organizations Demand Bill’s Passage

June 21, 2007

Some 3,000 workers, labor leaders and elected national representatives rallied outside the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Tuesday in support of the Employee Free Choice Act, or EFCA. The bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate as early as this week.

“We’re here to ensure the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act,” said James Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Today, there are 60 million people across the country who want to join a union but are frightened to do so. With EFCA, these workers’ rights will be protected.”

Speakers included workers illegally fired for attempting to build unions in their workplace, leaders of labor unions and organizations dedicated to building the middle class, and elected officials, including Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

“At a time when employers are breaking the law, every person needs EFCA,” said Roger Hickey, Co-Director of the Campaign for America’s Future. “How did Americans get Social Security? How did we get eight-hour workdays and weekends? That’s right, unions.”

Introduced with bipartisan support, EFCA would take a giant step toward restoring the strength of the middle class and empowering the nation’s workers. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed this important piece of legislation on March 1.

“The majority of the Senate supports employers being fair to employees,” said Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV). “We need EFCA.”

“I don’t have to tell you that unions are essential to the middle class,” said Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY). “We need to strengthen workers’ right to organize, their right to get that first contract.”

The Importance of EFCA

Under current labor law, after workers express their desire to form a union, they usually endure a nasty, bruising and lawyer-dominated election process as the employer fights to block its employees’ choice, often employing illegal tactics such as firing workers.

With EFCA, if a majority at a workplace wants to build a union, they sign cards and the employer recognizes their wishes. Negotiations for a labor contract begin soon after. EFCA would put democracy back in the workplace and protect workers from the abuses of anti-union employers.

“CEOs or major corporations are sending our jobs overseas,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT). “We need to strengthen the trade union movement so the middle class grows. We are going to fight so every worker in this country who wants to join a union is free to do so. That’s what EFCA is going to do.”

“We believe this fight is about the freedom of association, allowing workers to organize to control their destinies,” said William McNary, President of US Action. “We believe that all workers deserve livable jobs that provide good wages, fair health care and secure retirement.”

A 2005 study by the University of Illinois at Chicago found that 30 percent of employers fire pro-union workers; 49 percent of employers threaten to close a worksite when workers try to unionize; 82 percent of employers hire union-busting consultants to fight organizing drives; and 91 percent of employers force employees to attend anti-union meetings one-on-one with supervisors.

“Today we have a war on the middle class,” Hoffa said. “The way to correct it is EFCA: You sign a card, you’ve got a union.”