Former U.S. Secretaries of Labor Praise the Employee Free Choice Act 

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- Two former U.S. labor secretaries today voiced their support for legislation that would restore workers' rights to join together to bargain for better wages, better benefits, and better working conditions. Robert Reich, labor secretary under President Bill Clinton, and Ray Marshall, labor secretary under President Jimmy Carter, issued statements on how the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) would make life better for American workers.

"The Employee Free Choice Act would close the door to intimidation by employers," reads Reich's statement in part.  "The only people at the workplace who can truly intimidate are employers, because only they have the power to fire someone from his or her job. The sad record of recent years shows that too many of them have used that power to block the right of workers to unionize. This Act would end that, and give employees true freedom of choice."

"The [Employee Free Choice Act] is important to all Americans, not just to workers," reads Marshall's statement in part.  "We are not likely to have either sound public policies or fair and effective work practices if millions of American workers' voices remain unheard."

[Click here to read Reich's complete statement.  Click here to read Marshall's complete statement.]

The Employee Free Choice Act would reform a broken union election process in which employers frequently intimidate, harass, reassign, or even fire workers who support the formation of a union. Under the legislation, when a majority of workers in a workplace sign cards authorizing a union, they would get a union.

Giving workers the ability to bargain for better wages and benefits is a key part of strengthening America's middle class. Union workers earn 30 percent more, on average, than do nonunion workers, and union workers are much more likely to have healthcare, pensions, and more generous paid time off.

For more information on the legislation, click here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Kiley / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853