EFCA: Our Fight Has Just Begun

June 26, 2007

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Do you hear it? It’s the sound of time running out for the folks who want to trample on workers’ rights. Today, 51 Senators stood for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), an initiative that would allow workers to join unions – either by ballot elections or majority sign-up – without employer interference. Although maneuvering from a minority of anti-union legislators prevented a vote on the bill, the message was clear: Workers’ rights will be restored sooner rather than later. If not now, then as soon as working families lead the battle to recapture the White House in ’08 and elect a President who will sign EFCA into law. More and more people are joining the fight for workers’ rights. It was only a week ago that AFSCME members defied 95-degree temperatures to rally in favor of the measure. They endured the heat in order to protect workers who feel it from employers who don’t want their employees to form unions. AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee said it best during the event, which was attended by a 6,000-strong crowd: “The most dangerous thing a worker can do today is form a union.” His thoughts were echoed in The Washington Post, where it was pointed out that “beginning in the 1970s, employers have preferred to violate the law – the penalties are negligible – rather than have their workers unionize.” The only way the law will regain its teeth and back employees who want to gain a voice at work is through passage of this vital piece of legislation. Our fight has just begun!