OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Employee Free Choice Act

Date: March 1, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Labor Unions


EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

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Ms. HIRONO. Madam Chairman, I rise to strongly support this bill. The principle at stake here is the freedom that all workers should have to organize, to bargain for better working conditions, fair wages and real benefits.

There are many employers around the country who honor this freedom. Unfortunately, there are also many employers who do not. These employers attempt to prevent workers from unionizing by using tactics that amount to intimidation and harassment, if not outright firing. In fact, one in five people who try to organize unions are fired. These tactics are already illegal, but the penalties are so minor, they are not effective deterrents.

Even after overcoming these obstacles and successfully organizing, many workers do not see the benefits of unionization for years because employers can drag their feet as in signing a first contract.

The system destined to protect workers' rights needs fixes, and the Employee Free Choice Act is landmark legislation to do just that. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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