Push is on for Employee Free Choice Act

Labor’s top priority, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), was formally introduced in Congress on March 10. This bill would make it easier for workers to form unions and reduce management’s ability to intimidate and dissuade workers from unionization. “If we want a fair and sustainable recovery from this economic crisis, we must give workers the ability to stand up for themselves and once again share in the prosperity they help to create,” said Rep. George Miller (D-CA), as he introduced the bill in the House. The importance of the legislation is clear. Polls show that 60 million U.S. workers would join a union if they could because union workers on average make 30% more in wages and are more likely to have health insurance than non-union workers. Lining up Feinstein Unions held demonstrations across California in March, culminating with a rally in Sacramento on the 17th. One of the votes that bill supporters had been counting on was that of Dianne Feinstein who had sponsored the bill in 2007. She has since declared that she won’t support it as currently written. California unions have launched a massive letter-writing campaign to regain her support. “After every recession, business always comes back, but unions have less members. Passing the EFCA gives unions a fair chance to recover from this recession in a stronger position to gain members and rebuild the middle class,” said President Chuck Mack. “We’ll need to pull out all the stops to make sure it passes.”