Employee Free Choice Act found this over in freepland

[impeach the gop]

EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT -- (Senate - November 24, 2003)

GPO's PDF --- Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, on Friday, I was pleased to introduce the Employee Free
Choice Act, which is sponsored by 24 Members of the Senate.

For decades, labor unions have led the fight for the 8-hour day, and the 40-hour week, for overtime pay, for the minimum wage,
for safe and healthy workplaces, for health insurance, for retirement security, and many other basic rights. Millions of union
members in communities across America benefit today from the long hard battles of the past.

Union workers earn wages 25 percent higher than nonunion workers. Union workers are more than four times as likely to have
a secure pension plan. Union workers are 40 percent more likely to have health insurance coverage.

These and many other longstanding benefits of union membership are undisputed. But too many workers who want to be
members of a union are unable to do so. The reason is clear. Too often, employers discourage it in any way they can.

For years, illegal employer tactics have been common whenever employees attempt to form a union. Each year, employers are
charged with over 20,000 instances of violating workplace labor rights. In over half of these claims, a worker was punished or
even fired for union activity. A recent survey found that employers illegally fire employees in one quarter of all union organizing
drives.

Even employees who manage to form a union often can't get a contract, because employers refuse to bargain. Only half of the
unions who win an election are able to get a first contract.

Often, companies hire expensive consultants and launch campaigns to intimidate workers and keep them from supporting a
union.

Anti-union companies often give their managers pamphlets with titles like ``A Manager's Toolbox to Remaining Union Free.''

They close down departments that succeed in unionizing. Employers spy on workers and use one-on-one confrontations to
intimidate workers or break the union.

Too often, Federal labor laws intended to protect workers from coercion have no teeth. If workers are fired, they may not get
their jobs back for years. At most, the employer will owe back wages. Companies treat such payments as just another cost of
doing business.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1028975/posts



More info:
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutunions/voiceatwork/ns11132003.cfm

[girl gone mad]

1. huh??

"Unions are anti-american. If you want to join a union so much why don't you go to Iraq?

The middle-class was built by tax cutes; not living-wages, collective barganing or workplace safety. All those things are gifts from an enlightened management...not by unions.

Each of the 5 Walton Kids (Of Wal-Mart fame) are worth about 20 billion dollars each. The earn about 3 billion dollars annualy EACH, (in stock options and assets) do you think they could have gotten that rich if they had to pay people working in Wal-Marts a living wage!"

I'm pretty sure it's a joke.

[brainshrub]

2. Probably is a joke

but it summs up the attitude torward Unions on the right. At least this poster had the courage to come out in the open.

[Melsky]

3. It's gotta be some sarcastic DUer

Not even freepers could be that dumb or against their own self interest. I hope not anyway.

[dvddrone]

4. Okay - I have to ask...

What in the hell is a "freeper" please?

(New member here - I have no friggin' clue what the word means.)

Thanks.

Elizabeth

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. my favorite freeper is FrenchyStinkyYuck

Unions are anti-american. If you want to join a union so much why don't you go to Iraq?

The middle-class was built by tax cutes; not living-wages, collective barganing or workplace safety. All those things are gifts from an enlightened management...not by unions.

Each of the 5 Walton Kids (Of Wal-Mart fame) are worth about 20 billion dollars each. The earn about 3 billion dollars annualy EACH, (in stock options and assets) do you think they could have gotten that rich if they had to pay people working in Wal-Marts a living wage!

8 posted on 11/25/2003 6:28 PM PST by FrenchStinkyYuck (A second would be)

bwa ha ha ha oh that's funny! :evilgrin: