Rebuilding Americas Middle Class

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(No Transcript)
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Rebuilding Americas Middle Class
Employee Free Choice Act
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EMPLOYEESFREEDOM TO BARGAIN
The Key to Rebuilding Our Middle Class
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What If Presidential Elections Were Conducted
Like Union Recognition Elections?
2008
John McCain
Barack Obama
VS.
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McCain would have unlimited TV time, including
several hours a day of compulsory viewing time.
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Obama, would be restricted to door-to-door
canvassing
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Obama would have to campaign from Canada or
Mexico neither he nor his aides would be allowed
in the country.
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Obama voters risk losing their jobs. The
Whitehouse could fire one voter in every
precinct,to send voters a message, and chill the
campaign.
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McCain can delay the election if he thinks hell
do better later.
Lets suspend the election, Sarah, for these good
people can get their heads screwed on straight!

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The election is held in hostile headquarters and
voters file by hostile officials as they vote.
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What does a flawed process mean for APWU Members?

• A large pool of non-union workers allows
  corporations to put downward pressure on all
  workers attempts to negotiate for better pay and
  benefits.
• Plans to privatize the postal service begin with
  contracting out work to companies with
  unorganized, lower paid workers
  
• Real family values are parents home at night
  with their children NOT working 3 jobs to make
  ends meet!

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Employee Free Choice Act

• Allow workers to choose how they form their union
  whether by majority sign up or election
  
• Strengthen penalties for companies that break the
  law when workers are trying to form unions       
  
  
• Establish mediation and binding arbitration when
  the employer and workers cannot agree on a first
  contract
  

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Knowledge of the Process Remains Limited

• Only 47 of the public knows that employers
  oppose unions
  
• 60 of union members know that employers oppose
  (up 6 points since 2006).
  

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Strong Support For Employee Free Choice Act
? Strongly favor ? Somewhat favor ? Oppose
Support for Employee Free Choice after hearing
provisions
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Allows employees to have a union once a majority
of employees in a workplace sign authorization
cards indicating they want to form a union
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Strengthens penalties for companies that
illegally intimidate or fire employees who try to
form a union
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Establishes binding arbitration in cases where a
company and a newly certified union cannot agree
on a contract after three months of negotiating
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Attacks Against Employee Free Choice Act
Were up against a 200 million organized
opposition
Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Retail Industry Leader
s Association Associated Buildings and Contracto
rs National Right to Work Rick Berman front gr
oups

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Attacks Against Employee Free Choice Act
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Eliminates Secret Ballot -FALSE-

• NLRA currently sets 30 as threshold to get an
  election
  
• Majority sign-up has been legal since 1935
• NLRA remains intact after the Employee Free
  Choice Act
  

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Union Coercion-FALSE-

• 42 Cases of union misconduct (cards)
• since 1935

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Employer Coercion- TRUE-

• Illegal Retaliation by Employers Against
  Workers for Forming Unions
  
• 6,000 cases in 1969
• 20,000 cases in 1990
• 30,000 cases in 2007

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THE MIDDLE CLASS IS IN TROUBLE.
CEOs make record high salaries while corporations
like Wal-Mart drive down wages
Wages are stagnating as prices are rising
Taxpayers are bailing out Wall Street
UNIONS STRENGTHEN THE MIDDLE CLASS.
They earn 30 more than non union workers and are
50 more likely to have health care benefits and
pensions They provide economic stability at a tim
e of severe economic unrest As the country works
at rebuilding our economy under Obama, unions
help ensure the benefits go to all workers, not
just those at the top
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Union Movement-Wide Effort
Affiliate Leadership and Membership Involvement
in all efforts State Federations and Central Labo
r Council Leadership
CTW and NEA Engagement
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Legislative Targeting and Lobbying
Focus is the Senate with some targeted House work
Re-sign co-sponsors Newly elected who had our sup
port Soft-support Democrats Republicans we can m
ove
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Aggressive Public and Member Communication
Message and spokesperson training for union
leaders at all levels High-visibility events
Rapid response Full-scale paid and earned
media
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Membership Mobilization
Union Meetings / Discussions Local Union Mail/ Wo
rksite Leafleting Letters - 1 Phone Calls - 1
Delegation Visits to Members of Congress Work
er Spokespersons
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Recruiting and Coordinating Allies
American Rights at Work Community-based organizat
ions Faith-based organizations/Clergy Academics
and student groups Elected leaders and Democratic
Party influentials International support
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Building on Strength and Success

• Labor 2008
• Six years of Employee Free Choice Act campaign
• Majority support in Congress

Ill make it the law of the land.
Barack Obama
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Questions?

• Terese Bouey, AFL-CIO
• 202-639-6293
• tbouey_at_aflcio.org

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866 SENATORS

• AK(Murkowski)
• AR(Lincoln, Pryor)
• CA (Feinstein)
• CO (Udall, Bennet)
• DE (Carper)
• FL (Nelson)
• IN Bayh)
• LA(Landrieu)
• ME (Snowe)

• MT (Baucus)
• NC (Hagan)
• ND (Dorgan,Conrad)
• NE (Nelson)
• OH (Voinovich)
• PA (Specter)
• VA(Warner, Webb)
• WI (Kohl)