AFSCME - “We’re proud that public sector workers are organizing”

AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee on the increase in public sector unionization reported in the Annual Bureau of Labor Statistics Union Membership Report

Washington, DC — “We’re proud that public sector workers are organizing to have a voice on the job and to improve the vital services they provide in states and communities around the country. As local governments brace for the second wave of the Bush Recession, experts expect that as many as 900,000 public sector jobs may be lost. Losing these vital jobs would undermine the country’s economic recovery, lead to higher unemployment rates and hurt the communities that depend on the services these workers provide. Congress needs to provide states and localities with the resources they need to protect jobs and grow our economy.

“There are serious obstacles to organizing in the private sector, where management coerces workers, and the deck is stacked against those who want to join a union and negotiate for better working conditions and benefits. That is why it is essential that Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act to level the playing field and give workers a chance to improve their jobs and their lives. When private sector workers can organize without fear of reprisal, we’ll be able to build an economy that works for everyone.”

AFSCME’s 1.6 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in hundreds of different occupations – from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers – AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and prosperity and opportunity for all working families.

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American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
1625 L Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036-5687
Telephone (202) 429-1145
Fax (202) 429-1120