America's middle class is disappearing, good jobs are vanishing and health care coverage and retirement security are slipping out of reach. To get ahead economically, working people need the freedom to choose for ourselves whether to join together in unions to bargain for better wages and benefits. But the current system for forming unions and bargaining is broken. Corporations routinely intimidate, harass, coerce and even fire workers for trying.

The Employee Free Choice Act would change that by restoring workers' freedom to form unions and bargain—without management interference. The legislation would strengthen penalties for companies that coerce or intimidate workers, establish mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract and enable workers to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Employee Free Choice Act. Now we have to convince the Senate to do the same. Your senator has not yet signed on as co-sponsors for this year’s legislation. There’s still time.

Please use the form below to urge your senator to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act. Please customize the message with your own thoughts and comments.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I understand you have not signed as a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act. I have seen your explanation of why you haven't and it is clear that you have bought in to the anti unoin propaganda that this bill would somehow derive people of a "right" that they don't really have now. The real reason so many anti union attorneys and CEOs are opposing this legislation is because it would have some real teeth to enforce workers right to vote for a union and to get a contract if the union wins. So I urge you to do think about what the bill will do to grow the middle class in this country and co sponsor the bill.

Working people are struggling to make ends meet these days, and our middle class is disappearing. The best opportunity for working people to get ahead economically is to unite and bargain with our employers for better wages, benefits and working conditions.

But the current system for forming unions and bargaining is broken. Corporations routinely block workers' freedom to decide for themselves whether to form unions to bargain by intimidating, harassing, coercing and even firing workers.

The Employee Free Choice Act would restore workers' freedom to make our own choice about whether to have a union and bargain for a better life--without interference from management. The legislation, which the House has passed, would:

* Strengthen penalties for companies that coerce or intimidate workers;

* Establish mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract; and

* Enable workers to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards.

Today, CEOs get contracts that protect their pay and benefits--but they fight tooth and nail to keep workers from having the same opportunity. As a result, good jobs are vanishing and health care coverage and retirement security are slipping out of reach. Only 38 percent of the public say their families are getting ahead financially, and less than a quarter think the next generation will be better off.

I urge you to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act once again to give working families an opportunity for a better life, to level the playing field for workers and employers and to help rebuild America's middle class.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 29, 2007