Episcopal Church Supports Employee Free Choice Act

by Seth Michaels, Jul 21, 2009

The Episcopal Church has added its support to the growing movement for the Employee Free Choice Act.

At the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, held July 8-17, bishops and deputies approved a resolution asking Congress and the president to restore workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain.

The resolution, “Fix Our Broken Labor Laws,” explains that the church strongly supports the freedom of workers to collectively bargain for a better life.

Episcopal bishops and deputies are asking Congress to pass legislation that fulfills three key principles, the resolution says:

1. Provide workers the choice of seeking union recognition either through an election or through a majority sign-up on cards, which are then verified by the National Labor Relations Board.
2. Adopt more effective remedies for violations of employees’ rights, comparable to the remedies for discrimination provided by existing civil rights laws.
3. Where the employers and unions are unable to reach agreement on their first collective bargaining agreement within a reasonable period of time, resolve the dispute by submitting it to mediation and if mediation is unsuccessful, then to binding arbitration.

The Episcopal Church has a long record of support for the freedom of workers to form unions and opposition to abusive tactics that prevent them from exercising their right to bargain.

By passing this resolution, the Episcopal Church joins a coalition of faith groups representing a broad variety of religious traditions in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

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