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NYT: We Must Pass the Employee Free Choice Act |
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In today’s New York Times, the editorial board makes a strong, clearly argued and unambiguous case that President-elect Obama needs to strengthen working families by pushing for a quick passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and giving his Labor Secretary-designate, Rep. Hilda Solis, the power she needs to protect workers.
The editorial lays out several challenges ahead for Obama, Solis and the fight to defend workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain. Giving workers the power to improve their own lives and the support they need in the administration must be a top priority if we are to restore an economy that works for everyone.
Here’s what the Times has to say about the Employee Free Choice Act, which Obama and Solis both co-sponsored in Congress:
The measure is vital legislation and should not be postponed. Even modest increases in the share of the unionized labor force push wages upward, because nonunion workplaces must keep up with unionized ones that collectively bargain for increases. By giving employees a bigger say in compensation issues, unions also help to establish corporate norms, the absence of which has contributed to unjustifiable disparities between executive pay and rank-and-file pay.
As The New York Times aptly points out, the corporate argument that giving more workers the freedom to form unions and bargain will hurt a declining economy is exactly backwards. Indeed, as we’ve often noted, the current economic weakness is due to the fact that for far too long, workers have had less and less power to bargain for better wages, benefits and job security.
There is a strong argument that the slack labor market of a recession actually makes unions all the more important. Without a united front, workers will have even less bargaining power in the recession than they had during the growth years of this decade, when they largely failed to get raises even as productivity and profits soared. If paycontinues to lag, it will only prolong the downturn by inhibiting spending.
The editorial also makes a strong case for giving Solis–described as an “unfailing advocate for workers’ rights” and a leader on issues affecting working families–the ability to reverse the Bush administration’s years of short-sighted and anti-worker rulings on workplace safety, overtime and other key issues.
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The Times offers no evidence for its contention that rewriting federal labor policy to increase the share of private-sector employees under “exclusive” union bargaining won’t slow economic growth.
In reality, U.S. Labor Department data show that, in the 10 states with the lowest share of private-sector unionized workers as of 1997, private-sector job growth from 1997 to 2007 was more than triple what it was in the 10 states with the highest share of private sector workers under “exclusive” union bargaining.
A wide array of other statistics also show economic growth is far slower, year after year, in the states where Organized Labor is most powerful.
AFL-CIO propagandists and their apologists at the NYT can run from the facts, but they can’t hide.
Stan Greer
National Right to Work Committee
National Institute for Labor Relations Research
The Times does not need to waste the space to offer the obvious deteriation of workers rights in this country.
In reality the proportion of wealth distribution in this country has not been seen in the history of civilization. When less than 10 percent of the population control 90 percent of the wealth, there is no argument against the benefits of unions and collective bargaining.
When companies arbitrarily increase health costs onto workers to justify their “bottom line”: when these same companies are allowed to export jobs and destroy not only individuals but communities is not only wrong is immoral.
But then again I should check your sight out too that explains how “great” your organization potrays right to work. The right to work argument you folks pose is more like “right to eat” because thats about all you provide for American families sir.
Joe Cardona
2nd Vice President
UAW Local 174 Amalgamated
when connecting the dots Mr. Greer, you have to consider all of the dots not just the ones that suit your purpose.
How about taking into consideration the masses of jobs leaving our country? They are not leaving unionized states they are leaving the UNITED STATES including your right to work states. I would think that the job growth of China, Japan and Taiwan would put your argument to shame
your job is simple Mr. Greer, to reduce costs to business thru the Chamber of Commerce. Our job is simple also, to empower workers.
Speaking of propagandists, you certainly have the right to your own opinion but not to your own facts
If unions harm economic growth, why is it that the strongest, most consistent economic growth in modern U.S. history occurred during the 1950s and 1960s, when union density was at its highest? And why is it that the Great Depression of the 1930s followed a decade when union membership was at a low ebb? And why is it that the today’s financial crisis and deepening recession follows another long period of declining union density?
For nearly four decades, workers’ wages have lagged behind their productivity. Wage growth is vital to economic growth and widely shared prosperity. Easy credit and speculative asset appreciation can substitute for wage increases temporarily, but not indefinitely–as we are finding out, very painfully, now.
Strong unions–and the freedom to join them–are essential to wage growth and an economy that works for all. The New York Times is right, and Greer and his so-called National Right to Work Committee are wrong. We need the Employee Free Choice Act, and we need it now!
TO: Stan Greer,
National Right to Work Committee
(should be called Right to Maximize Exploitation of Workers)
“A wide array of other statistics also show economic growth is far slower, year after year, in the states where Organized Labor is most powerful.”
Whose “economic growth” are we talking about? Who benefits?
To translate this capitalist jargon, to maximize “economic growth” (profits for corporations and capitalist investors) inevitably means to “minimize” wages and to forever impoverish workers.
Capitalists don’t care about “economic growth” that promotes the “economic growth” of working people. Another term used against working people is “productivity”. The U.S. worker is the most “highly productive” (maximimum profit to corporations) compared to European workers because until recently European workers enjoyed long vacations, free and universal health care, day care centers, etc. which were supported by necessarily heavy taxes. BUT EVERYONE IN SOCIETY BENEFITS, NOT JUST THE CAPITALIST (who is still making a nice profit, thank you.)
[But note that in Europe and elsewhere, the same social "problems" (poverty, destruction of social services, unemployment, etc. ) are being created as run-amok capitalism is looting their economies for profit by attacking these services needed by the people to survive. Thus one quarter of the children in England are now living in poverty!! Read daily the World Socialist Web Site :
http://www.wsws.org ]
The most practical solution to the collapse of global capitalism is to end this parasitic and gangster capitalism. We need to transition from capitalism to a global socialist economy. To end profit-driven war, to end the vast social inequality created by capitalism, socialism is today essential for the survival of humanity.
I believe the Employee Free Choice Act is a start. We must not end our campaign for justice for our workers even if victory of this bill is achieved.
Further weakening and decline of labor, of working folks economic situations cannot be tolerated and certainly cannot be condoned.
Mr Greer, Since Reagan took office and the war on the working middle class began, corporations have decided to destroy the security of working people. First, you moved your companies South where they extorted billions in corporate welfare and corrupted local politicians to allow them to pollute the air and water. Your companies left behind a lot of Superfund sites that may never be safe to live near as well as Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and many waterways. Then, the corporations moved out of the South as unionizing began to strengthen to Mexico. Polluted air and water soon flowed over the border. When the Mexicans began to ask for a living wage, the corporations moved to China and India where, at last, they got the slave labor they’ve always been looking for. Finally, your corporations refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the US and stole billions from taxpayers to “re-build” Iraq and support our soldiers. it’s time to change.