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Lancaster, Pa., City Council Backs Employee Choice |
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Bernard Pollock of the AFL-CIO field staff reports on last night’s vote by the Lancaster, Pa., City Council in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Last night, the Lancaster City Council passed a resolution in support of the Employee Free Choice Act. All seven council members voted for the resolution after hearing firsthand from a worker who was fired for trying to form a union. Diane Topakian from the Central Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation and community allies also testified.
Lancaster United Labor Council President Jean Martin spent weeks educating City Council members about the importance of unions to strengthen and grow the middle class. Additionally, City Council member Tim Roschel, an active member of the Electrical Workers, lobbied for the resolution. Two other union members sit on the City Council: John Graupera, a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and Kendra Saunders, a member of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
After passing the resolution, the council members said they would send a copy to Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.), a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.).
Similar resolutions have been passed across Pennsylvania, and dozens more are in the works, including actions by the City of Pittsburgh, the City of Erie, the City of Sharon, Allegheny County, Mercer County and Erie County.
Watch the video to learn how the Lancaster United Labor Council helped work with Lancaster in passing this resolution and what it means in terms of sending a message to their U.S. senators.
1 Comment
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I want to thank the elected leaders and citizens of Lancaster for their support of the EFCA. I was the speaker at the Lancaster Democratic Party convention and discussed the importance of passing this legislation as part of my talk.
Democrats in Lancaster County really have their act together. Although the area is traditionally dominated by the Right Wing Republicans, things are obviously changing.