Thursday, August 7, 2008

Corporate Attack Dogs Targeting Rep. Tom Allen for Support Working Families

Last week brought us news of Wal-Mart pressuring employees to vote against Democrats like Rep. Tom Allen who are fighting for working families. Now we’re learning that corporate front groups are taking it a step further and unleashing vicious, misleading attacks on Allen. Corporate-financed groups like the misnamed “Coalition for a Democratic Workplace” and “Center for Union Facts” are on the attack because Rep. Allen supports the Employee Free Choice Act to restore workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain without employer harassment. Across the country, these front groups are running misleading TV, radio and newspaper ads attacking candidates who are doing the right thing. It is important that Rep. Tom Allen knows you are behind him and the other candidates 100 percent. Please take a minute and tell Rep. Tom Allen that you appreciate their support for the Employee Free Choice Act. The Employee Free Choice Act, when enacted, will restore balance between corporate power brokers and workers trying to form unions. Right now, corporations have ALL the power— Corporations decide how workers will form their union. Corporations illegally fire workers for supporting a union. Corporations force workers into intimidation meetings with supervisors. Corporations threaten to shut down if workers unionize. Corporations delay contract negotiations. And corporate fines for violating our rights are so insignificant that these fines are treated as just a regular cost of doing business. And as a result, 60 million workers who want to join unions cannot. Which means millions of working men and women are intentionally denied the higher wages and better benefits that come with a union card—and America’s middle class dwindles. Please thank Rep. Tom Allen for supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. The Employee Free Choice Act isn’t complicated. It would enable workers to choose for themselves whether to form a union by majority sign-up or through a National Labor Relations Board election. It would strengthen penalties when corporations trample the rights of workers trying to organize and bargain. And it would ensure that once workers form a union, the company can’t indefinitely delay reaching a contract. With wages stagnating, prices rising, health and pension benefits disappearing and the middle class shrinking, what could be more important than giving every working man and woman a fair chance to bargain for a better life? Please take a moment to let Rep. Tom Allen know that you support the Employee Free Choice Act, too. Thank you. In solidarity, Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO

1 comment:

js said...

The only thing I have a issue with is how us workers pay dues and get no benfits, no more than what we had before, no vacation time, no sick time. But pay dues each week