Maine Union Members Rally for Employee Free Choice

by Seth Michaels, Sep 8, 2009

On Friday in Portland, Maine, dozens of union members and allies took to the street to demand justice for workers and the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Union members held a 23-minute vigil in Portland’s Lobsterman Park to highlight how a worker is discriminated against because of his or her union activity every 23 minutes. Union members rallied in support of restoring the freedom to form unions and bargain and asked their members of Congress, especially Sen. Olympia Snowe, to vote for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Maine AFL-CIO President Ed Gorham said:

It is a travesty that the workers of Maine have their right to association systematically denied by a process that provides no protection from harassment and intimidation. We are here to remind Senator Snowe that we need the Employee Free Choice Act, for our families and our communities.

After the rally, the Rev. Desi Larson led a contingent of union members to Snowe’s office, where they presented staff with a symbolic gift of bread and roses, commemorating the union movement’s history of fighting for fair wages and respect and dignity in the workplace.

Matt Schlobohm of the Maine AFL-CIO said the Employee Free Choice Act is about giving workers a chance to get the dignity and respect they deserve:

We urge the Senator to remember in the coming months that the working families of Maine support that Employee Free Choice Act and they deserve a fair chance to enjoy bread and roses, too.

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