EFCA Statement

Statement by Leo W. Gerard, USW President

US SENATE VOTE ON EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

Pittsburgh – United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo W. Gerard said Monday’s procedural vote in the U.S. Senate on the Employee Free Choice Act demonstrates that, while the Republican leadership still has a chokehold on legislation that would benefit 60 million working men, women and their families, the promise of the bill’s passage by a new administration is well within reach.

The 51-48 Senate vote to move forward on the Employee Free Choice Act showed Democrats unanimously sided with workers, but fell short of the 60 vote threshold needed to end debate and proceed to a vote on final passage of the legislation.

“The support for Employee Free Choice by the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate offers real hope that soon workers will once again have a voice in deciding how they choose to organize as a union without being intimidated by their employer,” Gerard said.

“The unanimous support by the Senate Democrats points the way toward overcoming the obstruction by big business and the Republicans who seek to deny American workers their basic right to have a greater say in their lives through collective bargaining.

“The Employee Free Choice Act will remain an issue working families and their communities will continue to work until we achieve a Democratic Majority in the U.S. Senate and elect a new president in 2008,” he added.

How Did Your Senator Vote?

The EFCA vote in the Senate was 51 Right and 48 Wrong with Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) not voting as he is still out with a grave illness. All Democrats voted Right. All Republicans, EXCEPT Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector, voted wrong.


Source - Fight Back America - United Steelworkers AFL-CIO.CLC