Workers create unions to exercise democracy and power at the workplace. Unions are an essential bulwark, preventing businesses from wielding unlimited power in determining wages, benefits and working conditions for working men and women.
Having a collective voice gives workers protections and opportunities to have some control of their future. Union representation is a vehicle to reduce poverty for workers in low-wage jobs, provide health care and pension benefits for families, improve health and safety in the workplace, advocate economic and social policies that support all workers, and provide workers a role in workplace decisions.

The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would go far in changing a climate in which workers who try to organize a union are subjected to intimidation, threats, harassment and firings.  EFCA has three parts:

1. Recognition of a union must be granted after a majority of workers signs union authorization cards.
2. A third-party mediation process will be used whenever unions and employers cannot agree to a first contract.
3. Penalties are increased to deter employers from violating labor laws.

EFCA passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 241-185.  Let’s help the Senate do the right thing for workers as well!

There are actions you can take now!

• If you are a faith leader, please sign on to a letter to the Senate from faith leaders across the country.  Go to the Interfaith Worker Justice website to get the letter and give your name, title, organization, e-mail, and city and state to Ted Smukler.
• If you live in ALASKA, ARKANSAS, COLORADO, MAINE, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, OREGON or PENNSYLVANIA, call your Senators today at  800-774-8941.  For talking points, go to http://www.iwj.org/actnow/efca.html.
• For a full discussion of the Employee Free Choice Act, download the May issue of Interfaith Worker Justice’s Faith Works newsletter.