SEARCH
In One Out of Four Union Campaigns, a Worker Will Be Illegally Fired |
|
Every time workers try to exercise their freedom to form a union, there’s a better than one-in-four chance that a worker will be illegally fired as a result. That’s the finding of a new study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), and it’s a strong argument for passing the Employee Free Choice Act and restoring the freedom to form unions and bargain.
As part of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, which is meeting in Miami this week, one of the study’s authors, economist John Schmitt, is holding a conference call to discuss the findings in the report and the critical need for labor laws that protect workers. Schmitt is being joined by workers who have been fired for trying to form a union.
In a strong statement delivered via video last night, Obama thanked the AFL-CIO for advocating on behalf of working people and included the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act among his priorities.
I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem. To me, and to my administration, labor unions are a big part of the solution. We need to level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests—because we cannot have a strong middle class without a strong labor movement.
The CEPR report, “Dropping the Ax,” makes a strong case for a new law to protect workers’ freedom to form unions. Written by Schmitt and economist Ben Zipperer of CEPR, the report details the growth of illegal termination as a common strategy by companies trying to stop their workers from forming unions and reveals a deeply broken system that fails to protect the fundamental freedom of workers to choose a union and bargain for a better life. Workers shouldn’t fear being fired for the simple act of trying to form a union—but our flawed labor laws mean that it happens routinely.
The report documents that in more than a quarter of union campaigns since 2001, workers faced illegal firing. By 2007, nearly 30 percent of union organizing campaigns resulted in at least one illegal firing. This has had a strongly negative effect on the ability of any worker to exercise the freedom to form a union. Schmitt and Zipperer conclude that increased management interference has been a driving factor in undermining the freedom of workers to join a union.
…an important part of the decline in private-sector unionization rates…is that aggressive—even illegal—employer behavior has undermined the ability of workers to create unions at their work places.
The penalties for this illegal behavior, Schmitt and Zipperer find, are so small as to make firing a worker a cost-effective anti-union strategy for management.
In a statement, the AFL-CIO Executive Council reaffirmed its commitment to the quick passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Our collective efforts to build support for the Employee Free Choice Act have brought us closer than we have been in a generation to ensuring the freedom of workers to form unions and bargain collectively for a better life.
The next few weeks are critical, as we fight to realize our long-held goal and the dreams of a better life for millions of working families.
We share with our new president, the congressional majority and America’s workers the essential goal of building an economy that works for all.
6 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Employee Free Choice Act vs. The Secret Ballot Protection Act
The Secret Ballot Protection Act Better Known as The Employer FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation Act
Legislation Introduced To Preserve An Employers Right to Continue their Union Busting FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation Tactics for 42 days.
Recently, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 1176) and the U.S. Senate (S. 478) that would ensure EMPLOYERS Retain The Right to FORCE its employees to be subject to a 42 day Union Busting Campaign which can lead to Employer FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation tactics if workers should decide to form or join a union.
The bills have 103 and 18 cosponsors respectively. All Republicans.
The Secret Ballot Protection Act ( Better Known as The Employer FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation Act) was introduced by Congressman John Kline (R-2-MN) in the House and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) in the Senate, would ensure EMPLOYERS have the opportunity to FORCE a 42 Anti-Union Busting FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation Campaign against its employees under The Secret Ballot Protection Act by retaining their ability to reject their employees wishes even if the majority should decide to join or form a union.
To view the Senate bill, click here: http://www.meatami.com/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/47043
To view the House bill, click here: http://www.meatami.com/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/47045
Under The Secret Ballot Protection Act Employers would still be able to continue their union busting FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation tactics as they do today.
The measure is meant to counter the workers bill the “Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA),
Presently the system to form a union under the Employee Free Choice Act would remain the same if passed. The only difference is the Employees NOT the Employers would decide which method to be used to form a union. Either a Secret Ballot Election or a Card Check.
Under EFCA, unions would only have to get a majority of workers to sign cards authorizing unionization. EFCA has yet to be introduced in the 111th Congress.
For more information on Employer FEAR, Coercion and Intimidation Union Busting Tactics Press Below
http://efcanow.blogspot.com/2009/02/just-say-no-to-employee-free-choice-act.html
For More Information on EFCA please visit our websites and blog
http://www.employeefreechoiceactnow.org
http://efcanow.blogspot.com/
http://efcaunionbustingclub.blogspot.com/
http://www.FreeChoiceActNow.Org
http://www.LaborUnionResources.Org
Tags: Employee Free Choice Act, Free Choice Act, EFCA, Secret Ballot Protection Act,
Sen. Jim DeMint,Congressman John Kline, Union Buster, Union Avoidance, Union Busting Tactics, Labor Union, Save our Secret Ballot,The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, Navigators Global
Posted by Employee Free Choice Act Now . Org at 10:17 AM
Labels: Congressman John Kline, EFCA, Employee Free Choice Act, Free Choice Act, Secret Ballot Protection Act, Sen. Jim DeMint, Union Busting
Employee Free Choice Act Video’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhNL112AgNU&eurl=http://efcanow.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAPgCzt6BRo&eurl=http://efcanow.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qajBfEdzoE&eurl=http://efcanow.blogspot.com/
What does this biased study have to do with depriving American workers the right to a private ballot for a union?
More, the study said the firings were illegal. If they are illegal, why does the law have to be changed?
If we cared about workers rather than just empire building by unions we would protect their right to a private ballot!
Gary:
The Employee Free Choice Act will not, repeat, will not, take away the ballot election for workers considering whether to join a union. Rather, the Employee Free Choice Act will give workers, rather than management, the choice of whether to vote on unionization via ballot or to indicate their support to join a union via majority sign up (also called “card check.”)
Here’s the text of Employee Free Choice Act bill:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.800:
Can you point to where it says a ballot will be taken away?
Mr Shapiro,
Let me address your first question. The study is not bias. This study was done for the understanding of what happens when a union is trying to be formed.
Have you ever tried to organize a union at your work place? Have you ever been threated to be fired from your job or been fired, because you choose a union, which is you right? My guess is NOT. Have you worked on any organizing campaign’s against companies, who call the UNION BUSTING attorney’s or MAKE workers attend the one one one meetings with the management? Have you ever sat down with a person who was FIRED from choosing to join a union (due to low wages and no medical coverage ,WHICH IS S RIGHT NOT PRIVILEGE) and tried to console them because they lost their job, due to wanting a union? Until you can say YES to all the question, I do not believe you know what is going on in the “real world”.
The second question is on the illegal firings. Yes, they were found illegal, BUT some individuals were not given their job back or any back wages. It took years to get something done under THE BUSH NLRB and BUSH Dept. of Labor. Some where award their jobs back, for example, MARX MART, sorry WAL MART DID NOT hirer them back. It is up to the NLRB to force this issue, BUT once again BUSH NLRB. Enough said.
Until you can sit though a meeting, and be told after working for “X” number of years with a company YOUR FIRED. Then you will understand.
Third, “The Private Ballot “is not private, to the employer. They know who voted for and against the union. So where is the secret ballot ?
In closing, the bottom line is the Employee Free Choice Act takes the POWER away from the “BOSS” and makes it an even playing field.
Thank you,
Kevin S.
Hey Gary, your a shill, the Employee Free Choice Act will let the workers decide how to form a union, if your so worried about “secret ballot” then why aren’t you screaming about the Sept. 2006 NLRB decision that deemed that a group of unionized employees can DECERTIFY from a union WITHOUT a “secret ballot” if they have “50%=1″ petition signatures?
Ilk like yourself, NAM, the US Chamber of Commerce, software whatever the heck it is you represent, etc., will say anything to deny the American employee their human right to freedom of association. You also fail to mention all the waiting time for a NLRB hearing if the “company” breaks the law, oh, and the slap on the wrist penalties if any.
If god forbid, the Chamber and your other traitorous allies have their way, good luck to the future, less unions, less workers rights, less safety, more Visa abuse, more poison foreign made products, hell we’ll probably have UPS delivering straight from Mexico before too long, is that the world you want for them?
Wanna see what the elite jerks think about the Employee Free Choice Act, check out the video “The Horror of the Employee Free Choice Act“
There are many places it is 100% sure to get you fired if you use the union word.
Jim