By David Madland
WASHINGTON, DC—The Employee Free Choice Act, reintroduced in Congress today by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), is a vital step forward for America’s workers. The bill would protect workers’ democratic right to join together in unions and make it harder for companies to threaten workers seeking to organize a union.
The Employee Free Choice Act holds the promise of restoring workplace democracy for workers attempting to organize, boosting unionization rates, and improving the economic standing and workplace conditions for millions of American workers.
Unfortunately, workers attempting to organize together in a union currently face an undemocratic process that allows companies to routinely intimidate workers and silence their voices. Not only will the Employee Free Choice Act restore workers’ democratic voice on the job, but it will also help raise workers’ wages and benefits. A Center for American Progress Action Fund Report found that American workers that join a union will earn 11.3 percent more per hour than their otherwise identical non-union counterparts.
In 2007, the Employee Free Choice Act passed the House and received majority support in the Senate, but did not receive enough votes to break the threat of a filibuster. With a new Congress, and President Obama’s promise to sign the bill, the Employee Free Choice Act has a strong chance of becoming law.
The Center for American Progress Action Fund supports the Employee Free Choice Act and urges Congress to act quickly to pass the legislation.
Report: Unions Are Good for the American Economy
Issue Brief: Unions Are Good for the Economy and Democracy
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