Americans United for Change: “Majority Signup is Central to Labor Law Reform and Rebuilding Our Econ

[Omaha Steve]

www.americansunitedforchange.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Lauren Weiner, 202-470-5870

DATE: July 21, 2009 Jeremy Funk, 202-470-5878

Americans United for Change: “Majority Signup is Central to Labor Law Reform and Rebuilding Our Economy”

Where’s the Controversy? 75% of the American People Support Majority Signup as Part of the Employee Free Choice Act

Ø Three-quarters (75%) of adults favor allowing employees to have a union once a majority of employees in a workplace sign authorization cards indicating that they want to form a union, including 44% who strongly support the idea. Just 20% of adults oppose majority sign-up.

Washington D.C. – Americans United for Change issued the following statement on the heels of recent reports that a version of the Employee Free Choice Act in the Senate may not include majority sign-up provisions.

Tom McMahon, Acting Executive Director, Americans United for Change: “The jury is in on the Employee Free Choice Act with seventy-five percent of the American public behind labor reform that specifically includes allowing employees to form a union through majority signup. As negotiations on the Employee Free Choice Act continue in Congress, Members need only look at public opinion to realize the only controversy over majority signup is being fabricated by a vocal, well financed, factually challenged minority led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Corporate powerhouses like Wal-Mart. There’s no debate among the American people that the system is badly broken for the 60 million workers who would form a union tomorrow if only given the chance – a system that allows big business and Corporate America to routinely harass, intimidate and even fire workers who try to form a union and bargain for better pay, benefits and retirement security. These Corporate special interests will continue to say or do anything to keep the system broken, but when three-quarters of the American people agree majority signup is central to labor reform and building a strong economic foundation for our disappearing middle-class, Congress really doesn’t have to listen.”