Support the Employee Free Choice Act!

What would you say to people who don't support even allowing a debate about leveling the playing field with the Employee Free Choice Act?

To date, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter and Penn State University President Graham Spanier have not expressed public support for giving employees a free choice at work. But if we're going to get out of our current economic mess, Pennsylvania and other states will need secure jobs now more than ever before! If the Employee Free Choice Act becomes law, it will help almost 1 million Pennsylvanians and pump more than $2 billion into the state's economy every year.

The Employee Free Choice Act is a vital component of the overall recovery plan to restore our economy, an economy that must work for everyone, and lead to prosperity for all, instead of just for a select few. Allowing workers the freedom to join together, free from intimidation and harassment, to bargain for job security, better wages and health care, will stimulate our economy and allow working people to better support their families

Can you believe Senator Specter and President Spanier would work to block something that would do so much to benefit the working people of Pennsylvania and the rest of the United States? Especially in these times, shouldn't they be rushing to support efforts that will help strengthen our nation's economy?

We need our public leaders to act as swiftly on real economic recovery for working people in America. Senator Specter and President Spanier can provide the leadership to bring about change that works, but they need to hear from you now.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Stand Up for Working Americans!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am very concerned about your stance regarding the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009. The Employee Free Choice Act, supported by a bipartisan coalition in Congress, would enable working people to bargain for better benefits, wages and job security, by restoring workers' freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union. It would remove current obstacles for employees who want to collectively bargain with their employer, and guarantee that those workers who do choose to collectively bargain are able to achieve a contract.

Opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act have spread misinformation about the bill, stating that it would remove secret ballot elections. Currently, both ballot elections and Majority Sign-up are recognized as legitimate ways to form a union; however, the decision regarding which method will be used in a place of business is the employer's. The Employee Free Choice Act would simply put that decision into the hands of the employees, and allow workers to freely choose how to form their union. Some have raised the issue that workers are open to pressure and intimidation when a union is being formed through a process of Majority Sign-up. However, academic studies show that workers who organize under Majority Sign-up feel less pressure from co-workers to support the union than workers who organize under the NLRB election process. Workers who vote by majority sign-up also report far less pressure or coercion from management to oppose the union than workers who go through NLRB elections.

This law is about restoring to working people the freedom to improve their lives through collective bargaining. There are 60 million nonunion American workers, over half of the country's workforce, who say they want to have a union in their workplace. If the Employee Free Choice Act becomes law, it will help nearly 1 million Pennsylvanians achieve a better livelihood and pump more than $2 billion into the state's economy every year. With a free choice to join unions, working people can bargain for better wages, health care and pensions to build a better life for their families. With the economic pressures on working people today, the freedom to pursue their dreams is critically important.

If we're going to get out of this current economic mess, Pennsylvania will need secure jobs more than ever before! We need our public leaders to act as swiftly on real economic recovery for working people in America. On Friday, March 27, hundreds of community members, workers, and students rallied in support of the Employee Free Choice Act in State College, Pennsylvania. I stand with them, and Americans all around the country, and I hope you will do the same by publicly supporting the Employee Free Choice Act.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 27, 2009


Background Information

A majority of Americans worry that their children will be worse off than they are. While our families struggle to get by, corporate CEOs are making record profits--all while they're trying hard to deny us a voice on the job. When workers are free to choose to join a union, our economy can work for everyone again. That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act--a bill in Congress that would make it easier for workers to join together and bargain for wages that support a family and quality, affordable healthcare. This bill will make it easier for workers to unite on the job, imposing stiff penalties for corporations who fire or intimidate workers who try to form unions and giving workers a seat at the table so they can negotiate their contracts just like CEOs do. The Employee Free Choice Act will: * Make it easier for working people to join unions by giving employees the choice to form a union and taking away corporations' veto powers. * Help America's working families improve their standard of living. Workers in unions earn 30 percent higher wages and are 63 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance. * Fix a broken system that gives corporations and CEOs far too much power. When workers try and organize unions, they are often harassed and intimidated; 25 percent of companies unlawfully fire pro-union workers. * Restore fairness and the promise of the American Dream, with a robust middle class, economic growth, and shared prosperity. It's time our economy worked for everyone again. It's time for the Employee Free Choice Act.