IBEW Local 1837 is working with the national AFL-CIO to help pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) as it moves to the United States Senate. In Maine, Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are being asked by union members to sign on as co-sponsors of the bill. In New Hampshire, we are asking Sen. John E. Sununu to do the same.

As it stands now, the cards are stacked against unions in favor of the employers during any campaign to organize workers into a bargaining unit so that they may enjoy the benefits of union representation. Workers who try to exercise their legal right to organize in the workplace are often threatened, harassed, intimidated—even fired!

The Employee Free Choice Act would help to restore workers’ rights by doing the following:

· Establish stronger penalties for violation of employee rights.
· Provide mediation and arbitration to help ensure a first contract and thwart employer refusal to bargain in good faith.
· Allow employees to form unions by signing authorization cards with "majority sign-up" to help avoid anti-democratic employer coercion.

The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 241-185. Reps. Thomas Allen and Michael Michaud of Maine, Reps. Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire have all signed on as sponsors and voted in favor of the measure.

In response, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other anti-union organizations have sought to portray the legislation as a violation of workers’ rights. Their claims that unions are determined to end secret ballot elections are a smokescreen for their true goal: To continue the current unfair and anti-democratic election process which gives highly-paid union-buster consultants an opportunity to do their dirty work! (Remember, the former Soviet Union used to have secret ballot elections, too.)

The Employee Free Choice Act faces an uphill battle in the Senate. It is vital that we contact our U.S. Senators today to let them know that the survival of the middle class depends in no small part on America’s labor unions.

Call the toll-free AFL-CIO EFCA phone center at 1-800-774-8941. After you punch in your zip code, they’ll connect you directly to the office of your Senator. Tell your senators to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act!

For further information about the Employee Free Choice Act Click Here.