Massachusetts Public Employees Celebrate New Freedom to Form Unions

by Mike Hall, Sep 27, 2007

What a difference a new governor makes. This morning, at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s 50th annual convention, Gov. Deval Patrick (D) signed a bill that grants public employees the freedom to form a union through majority authorization. Last year, then-governor, and now Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, vetoed the bill.

Click here to watch the video of the signing ceremony.

The legislation, passed last week by the state Senate and House, enables workers to form unions by signing union authorization cards, similar to the majority sign-up provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act unions are pushing to pass in Congress. Under majority sign-up, an employer agrees to recognize the union when a majority signs the cards.

Says Gov. Deval Patrick (D):

This bill is about leveling the playing field between labor and management. It affirms the Commonwealth’s policy of supporting workers who should be able to bargain collectively for fair wages, decent health care and on the job protections.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes says:

A year after Mitt Romney’s veto, we have a new governor…one who is committed to improving the quality of life of working people. And together we have won a major victory for workers in Massachusetts.

The victory is the latest for state workers around the country as working families turn to state legislatures to boost workers’ rights. This past summer, public employees in New Hampshire and Oregon won majority authorization and Delaware state workers won collective bargaining rights.

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