|
This belongs to you. Take it back...
Employee Free Choice Act 
Mon Jun 01, 2009 at 13:00:32 PM EDT
|
|
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand received more support from the organized labor community today when two unions announced that they have endorsed Gillibrand for Senate.
The New York State Pipe Trades Association and the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 backed Gillibrand in her bid for election next year.
Both unions, along with past unions that have backed Gillibrand, have mentioned her work on key labor issues, including the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), fair pay for women and other important issues.
Working men and women from across New York are touting Senator Gillibrand's solid commitment to the Employee Free Choice Act, paycheck fairness for women, along with her efforts to provide health care for 9/11 rescue workers.
"We are proud to endorse Senator Gillibrand for her election in 2010," said Richard Roberts, President of the NY State Pipe Trades Association, which represents plumbers, steamfitters, and sprinklerfitters across the state. "Throughout her time in Congress, Senator Gillibrand has gone to the mat for working families in New York State, showing incredible commitment to the issues we care most about. In particular, we are proud of her leadership on efforts to provide health care to the rescue workers at the world Trade Center and pass the Employee Free Choice Act."
"Kirsten Gillibrand is the kind of Senator our thousands of members can be proud of," said Larry Bulman, Secretary-Treasurer, NY State Pipe Trades Association. "In just four short months on the job, she has demonstrated her commitment to the issues that matter most to our members."
"Kirsten Gillibrand has established herself as a strong advocate for working people," said James Cahill, International Representative for the NY State Pipe Trades Association. "She will work with President Obama to fix this economy and ensure good-paying jobs in New York."
"Kirsten is a true champion for all of us in New York and across America who have been working harder for less and getting squeezed by the fall of this economy," said Mike Goodwin, President of the OPEIU, which has 125,000 members nationwide and 25,000 members in both the private and public sectors in New York City, including New York hotels, the New York Stock Exchange, health insurance companies, manufacturing companies, universities, security companies and teachers in the Archdiocese of New York."
"She knows what's at stake for us," continued Kistler. "She's brought new life to EFCA and is fighting for paycheck fairness and better wages for all of us. She's brought a tenacity to the job that we are confident will help rebuild this economy with the good-paying jobs and affordable health care we need."
"I am honored to have the endorsements of OPEIU and the Pipe Trades Association," said Senator Gillibrand. "It is time we have an economy that works for all our workers, and I am proud to partner with working families to help President Obama create jobs and fix this economy."
Since she first joined Congress, Gillibrand has been a proud original co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act. She also co-sponsored legislation to increase the minimum wage, and has been an outspoken advocate for comprehensive health care reform to provide affordable, quality care to every man, woman, and child. Senator Gillibrand has earned a near perfect career rating from the AFL-CIO.
More endorsements for Gillibrand will only strengthen her for a primary challenge, which is still likely to occur. How strong that challenge is, however, remains to be seen. While Rep. Carolyn Maloney is said to be a potential challenger, other names aren't being touted as serious contenders for the job.
These endorsements are crucial for Gillibrand and they highlight her work as a senator and as a member of the House of Representatives. She has made workers a priority and that is reflected in these endorsements.
ON THE WEB:
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign website
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's U.S. Senate website
|
|
Discuss
:: (3
Comments)
|
|
|
|
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 22:58:14 PM EST
|
In an earlier post about the auto bail-out, we wrote that Senate Republican opposition to the auto bailout was primarily an attempt to bloody the UAW in advance of the looming battle over the Employee Free Choice Act, which would allow workforces to unionize without having (employer-rigged) secret elections. If you want to see just how virulent -- and how shameless -- some corporate opposition to EFCA is, check this out (from Sam Stein):
Three days after receiving $25 billion in federal bailout funds, Bank of America Corp. hosted a conference call with conservative activists and business officials to organize opposition to the U.S. labor community's top legislative priority.
[....]
"This is the demise of a civilization," said Marcus. "This is how a civilization disappears. I am sitting here as an elder statesman and I'm watching this happen and I don't believe it."
Donations of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars were needed, it was argued, to prevent America from turning "into France."
"If a retailer has not gotten involved in this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money to [former Sen.] Norm Coleman and all these other guys, they should be shot. They should be thrown out their goddamn jobs," Marcus declared.
I'm someone who supported the bail-out, but it sickens me to think that a chunk of bail-out money will no doubt be spent on lobbying Congress to further corporate interests.
|
|
Discuss
:: (8
Comments)
|
|
Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 15:01:57 PM EST
|
Not only has freshman Rep Eric Massa signed on as a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, an absolutely vital piece of legislation for American workers, he just released this vigorously unapologetic statement announcing his support:
SYRACUSE, NY - This afternoon, Congressman Eric Massa announced his co-sponsorship of the Employee Free Choice Act, the most critical labor legislation since Davis-Bacon. Having campaigned for four years in support of American Workers, Congressman Massa today took the bold step of publicly declaring his intention to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act. Rep. Massa's announcement came during a speech to the UAW Region 9's Triennial Convention in Syracuse.
"This critical legislation is not anti-business, it is pro-American, period," said Congressman Massa. "The American Labor movement represents, and in fact is, the only remaining force left to help move our country in a new direction toward fair trade and away from destructive open door free trade. I stand, proudly, with my fellow Americans to support the transformation of the domestic automobile industry into the 21st century and I reject the outrageously false attacks that claim living wages, pension security, access to quality affordable health care, safety and dignity in the workplace, are somehow un-American."
...
Addressing the UAW audience, Rep. Massa asked, "How many of you make $74 per hour right now?" The audience's answer was silence. "Opponents of organized labor like Senator Corker and Senator Shelby want to make up false 'facts' and 'statistics' like this to try and break the union, but we won't let that happen. These same critics also say that the Employee Free Choice Act will abrogate the ability of workers to have a secret ballot, but we know this is false. I believe it is now time to level the playing field, overcome employer intimidation, and work with business hand in hand to defend what generations of Americans have put in place - the American Dream."
Well put, Congressman.
|
|
Discuss
:: (1
Comments)
|
|
Tue Jun 26, 2007 at 13:59:22 PM EDT
|
|
Today the Republican minority in the US Senate effectively killed the Employee Free Choice Act for this year by defeating a cloture vote. Once again, Senate Republicans have sided with their corporate overlords and against the interests of middle class Americans by filibustering this hugely important bill.
Latest Filibuster Blocks Free Choice To Unionize
Minutes ago, Senate conservatives filibustered progress and stifled the voice of the majority once again.
They killed the Employee Free Choice Act, which would have minimized employer interference in the choice of workers to unionize.
As the Institute for America's Future found, taking away the obstacles to unionization would strengthen the middle-class by giving more Americans better wages and benefits.
51 Senators -- including all Democrats, both independents and a lone Republican (Sen. Arlen Specter) -- sided with working Americans, while 48 conservatives chose to keep the squeeze on the middle-class.
Those are some awesome "family values" you guys got there...
|
|
Discuss
:: (0
Comments)
|
|
|
|
|
|
