Fighting for Working Families

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Raising Wages

Original Co-sponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act – Now Law

• Increases the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years.
  
• This will move a full-time minimum wage earner from $10,712 per year to $15,080 per year.

Consistent Supporter of Prevailing Wages

• Time and time again, Congressman Murphy has voted to ensure that companies receiving federal contracts pay their workers fair and standard wages.

Fighting for Workers’ Rights to Organize

Original Co-sponsor of H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act

• Stiffens penalties for employers that use illegal tactics to intimidate organizing workers.
  
• Guarantees that after the formation of a union, employees will be able to negotiate a contract.
  
• Requires employers to recognize a union if a majority of workers supports its creation.

Original Co-sponsor of H.R. 1644, the RESPECT Act

• In 2007, President Bush’s National Labor Relations Board dramatically expanded an already confusing definition of “supervisor” to put at risk the collective bargaining rights of an estimated 8 million workers, particularly nurses and skilled tradesmen. “Supervisors” are not protected by the National Labor Relations Act and can be legally fired for union activity.
  
• The RESPECT Act would provide that clarity, returning the definition of “supervisor” to its original intent and to common sense.

Working for Fair Trade

Opposed the Columbia and Peru Free Trade Agreements

• Free trade is not free if it costs American workers their jobs. Congressman Murphy opposes and will continue to oppose trade deals that harm American working men and women.

Co-sponsored the TRADE Act

• Sweeping legislation that will reform current trade agreements and set new standards for future agreements, to ensure that this nation’s trade policies treat workers and domestic industries fairly.

Co-Sponsored H.R. 1992, the Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act

• Stiffens enforcement against goods produced in sweatshops. Protects important American industries from unfair competition while protecting foreign workers from inhumane conditions. Voted to Double Funding for the Office of China Compliance
  
• Helps protect American jobs by rooting out unfair and illegal trade practices by China.

Securing Full Retirement Benefits for State and Local Government Employees

Co-sponsored H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act

• Repeals the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provison (WEP) so that our teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and other public servants don’t have their Social Security benefits severely penalized because of their hard-earned government pensions.

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