Global union leaders support US fight for Employee Free Choice Act
The global union movement has put its united support for the Employee Free Choice Act in writing, with a joint letter from the leadership of the Global Unions offering strong support for the much-needed legislation.
UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings signed the letter, along with the General Secretaries of all the other global unions and International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Guy Ryder.
“We are committed to mobilising our own members and cooperating with our union sisters and brothers in other industries to stand in global solidarity with US workers and demand passage of the Employee Free Choice Act,” Jennings said.
Labour law reform in the United States is desperately needed. US multinationals have exported the anti-worker, anti-union attitude as they have expanded around the world. Other multinationals—who are union-friendly in their home countries—have sunk to US levels once they have crossed the border.
By passing the Employee Free Choice Act, the United States would join the other democracies around the world that respect the fundamental rights of workers to form trade unions and bargain collectively with their employers.
“Unfortunately, every day in the United States working women and men are intimidated and dismissed simply for trying to exercise their right to organize,” the Global Unions say. “It is time for the United States to join the other democracies around the world that respect the fundamental rights of workers to form trade unions and bargain collectively with their employers.”
The letter urges every member of the House of Representatives and the Senate to support the Employee Free Choice Act. The bill has been introduced in both houses of Congress and has majority support. However, a minority group of opponents can prevent the bill from being voted on in the Senate so unions and workers’ rights groups must get 60 Senators to vote to end debate on the measure before a final vote can be held to pass the bill into law.
The US Chamber of Commerce and other corporate interests have hired high-priced lobbyists to defeat the bill.
“Members of the US Congress should muster the courage to resist a massive, multi-million dollar employer campaign of propaganda, scare tactics and distortion,” the Global Unions said in their letter.
The Global Unions represent around 200 million workers on all continents and in all industries.