WHEREAS:

It has been U.S. law since 1935 that private sector workers have the right to form unions, but federal labor law protections have eroded over the years and are poorly enforced. There is no U.S. law granting full collective bargaining rights to federal, state or local government employees; and

WHEREAS:

Public opinion polls indicate that a majority of U.S. workers say they would join a union now if they had the opportunity; and

WHEREAS:

Union membership provides workers better wages and benefits, and protection from discrimination and unsafe workplaces, while benefiting whole communities by strengthening tax bases, promoting equal treatment and enhancing civic participation; and

WHEREAS:

Even though our laws guarantee America's workers the right to choose for themselves whether to have a union, employers across the nation routinely violate that right by harassing, intimidating, coercing and even firing workers just for exercising, or attempting to exercise, this fundamental freedom. Tens of thousands of private sector American workers are illegally threatened, coerced or fired each year because they try to form a union; and

WHEREAS:

When employers violate the right of workers to form a union, everyone suffers; wages fall, race and gender pay gaps widen, workplace discrimination increases and job safety standards disappear; and

WHEREAS:

A worker's fundamental right to choose a union must be guaranteed by law.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME supports bipartisan legislation introduced in Congress, the Employee Free Choice Act, which would authorize the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining representative when a majority of private sector employees voluntarily sign authorization cards, commonly known as "card check" recognition, provide for first contract mediation and arbitration and establish meaningful penalties when employers violate workers' rights to join a union; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME urges affiliates to seek to amend existing state and local bargaining laws to include these same provisions; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will also continue to advocate for a federal law covering all public sector employees. Until such a law is passed, AFSCME will lead the fight for state and local laws granting bargaining rights to public employees who currently do not have such rights.

SUBMITTED BY:

International Executive Board