Employee Free Choice Act

1. Employee Free Choice Act Restoring the Freedom to Bargain for a Better Life www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

2. This is a story about Power • Union power built the American Middle Class • Corporate America wants ALL the power • We are fighting to win back: • Good Jobs • Affordable Health Care • A Secure Retirement • Freedom to Bargain Collectively www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

3. Workers are Falling Behind Average Increase in Income Off the chart! 497% Source: Economic Policy Institute 181% 200% 1947-'73 1973-'04 150% 116% 97.1% 103% 98.2% 84.8% 100% 63.6% 38.4% 50% 23.4% 12.9% 2.8% 0% Second Poorest Poorest Middle Richest Second Richest Top 0.1%* Top 0.01%* 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% *1979-2001 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

4. We Make It – They Take It Productivity vs. Wages Source: Economic Policy Institute 2.0 Productivity 1.5 Wages 1.0 0.5 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

5. We Make It – They Take It CEO Wages vs. Worker Wages Workers Wages 1200% CEO Compensation 900% CEO Salary up 700%! 600% 300% 0 1947 1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

6. …and Corporations don’t give much back % of Tax Revenue from Corporations Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

7. Where Does This Leave Workers? Costs vs. Income % Increases 1995 - 2005 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

8. What’s the Best Opportunity Working People Have to Get Ahead? Working people are struggling to make ends meet, and America is in danger of seeing the middle class disappear. An important way for average people to get their fair share is to form a union at their workplace. www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

9. Union Workers Make 30% More Average Weekly Wages Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

10. Union Workers Have Better Benefits % of Workers With Benefits Source: U.S. Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2005. www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

11. 60 Million Americans Would Join a Union Now if They Could Vote For Union Representation Among nonunion, non-managerial workers Not sure Favor union Oppose union www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

12. But Every Day, Corporations Deny Employees the Freedom to Gain a Better Life Harassed Threatened Fired www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

13. The System for Forming Unions Is Broken • Amongprivate-sector employers whose workers try to form unions: • 78% force workers to attend one-on-one anti-union meetings with supervisors • 92%force employees to attend mandatory anti-union meetings • 25%illegally fire at least one worker for union activity • 33% never agree to a contract www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

14. The System for Forming Unions Is Broken • Pres. Bush denies the freedom to organize from 45,000 employees at the Dept. of Homeland Security • NLRB rules that disabled workers can not organize (Brevard Achievement Center vs. TWU Local 525, 2004) • NLRB rules that newspaper carriers can not organize (St. Joseph’s Press vs. Teamsters, 2005) • NLRB revokes right to organize from graduate employees (Brown Univ. vs. UAW, 2004) • As of 2005, 1 out of 5 workers are expressly forbidden from organizing(AFL-CIO, Voice @ Work) www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

15. The System for Forming Unions Is Broken Union Density 1964 Source: U.S. Department of Labor 0% to 9% 10% to 20% 21% to 30% 31% + www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

16. The System for Forming Unions Is Broken Union Density 1984 Source: U.S. Department of Labor 0% to 9% 10% to 20% 21% to 30% 31% + www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

17. The System for Forming Unions Is Broken Union Density 2004 Source: U.S. Department of Labor 0% to 9% 10% to 20% 21% to 30% 31% + www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

18. There’s a way to fix it: The Employee Free Choice Act • This legislation strengthens protections for workers' freedom to choose union representation. • Results in more workers being able to bargain with their employers for better wages, benefits, and working conditions • Strengthens penalties for companies that break the law when workers are trying to form unions   • Establishes mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract • Enables workers to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

19. Employee Free Choice Act: Summary Talking Points • The current system is broken, allowing corporations to intimidate workers when they try to form a union. Employees should have the freedom to make their own choice without interference from management. • Today, we have a system where CEOs demand contracts for themselves but fight to keep workers from having a voice on the job. As a result, working people are losing ground-- losing health care coverage, retirement security, and jobs. A union voice can change that. • Supervisors routinely have one-on-one discussions with the employees they supervise to pressure employees to vote no. Pressure from someone who conducts your job evaluations, sets your compensation, and even determines whether you keep your job is coercive. • If the law is changed to allow workers the freedom to join a union and collectively bargain, more American workers will be able to work together to ensure fair treatment on the job and improve their standard of living www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

20. Talking About the Employee Free Choice Act What Does Big Business say about the Protections of the Employee Free Choice Act? Unions are trying to do-away with the sacred ‘secret ballot election’ • What Do We Say? • An NLRB ‘election’ is not like ANY democratic election ANYWHERE in our society. • Firing, harassment, intimidation and coercion • follow workers into the voting station. • Denying workers the freedom to form a union and bargain collectively prevents employees from improving their standard of living and working conditions. www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

21. Talking About the Employee Free Choice Act Focus on the Economic Benefit of Unionizing The legislation is expected to result in more workers being able to bargain with their employers for better wages, benefits, and working conditions The legislation will make it much easier for workers to gain union representation in their workplace The legislation would make it harder for companies to conduct campaigns to try to convince workers to vote against the union The legislation is expected to result in more workers belonging to unions

22. Who Supports the Employee Free Choice Act? More than two-thirds of the American public Strongly oppose Strongly favor Somewhat oppose 69% Not sure Somewhat favor www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

23. The System is Broken - We Can Fix It WORKER PHOTO/S—MAYBE WORKERS PASSING OUT FLIERS www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

24. Union Members used the Power of their Vote Non-union voters split their vote 49% to 49% Previous Years 2004 70% 30% 2002 68% 32% Democrat Republican Source: Hart Research 11/2006 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

25. Union Members used the Power of their Vote… Groups that voted Republican unless they were union members Unionmembers +39+53 +15+31 +38+40 +92 +72 Allvoters -9-1 -42-7 -2-2 +79 +39 White menWhite women White born-againsWeekly churchgoers Rural votersMarried women African American Hispanic www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

26. …to win victories for Workers In First 2 Months • House Passes Employee Free Choice Act 241-185 • House Passes Minimum Wage 315-116 • Senate votes to restore Union rights to 43,000 TSA employees 51-47 www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

27. Help Pass the Employee Free Choice Act • Stir up and educate the public and union members! • Convince, recruit members of Congress to support. www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

28. Help Pass the Employee Free Choice Act • 1. Stir up and educate the public and union members • Form worksite action teams • Introduce and pass state and local resolutions • Have members distribute fliers (www.workingfamiliestoolkit.org) • Use union meetings, newsletter, e-mail, etc. • Engage allied organizations • Arrange speakers for local groups www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

29. Help Pass the Employee Free Choice Act • 2. Convince, recruit members of Congress to support • Have worker delegations meet with members of Congress • Set up meetings with workers trying to form unions • Hold postcard-writing sessions • Urge members to call, write and e-mail Congress • Bring allies into the loop on these initiatives www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

30. Talking About the Employee Free Choice Act Majority Sign-Up: • Balances power between workers and management • Minimizes workplace conflict • Avoids coercion and harassment of workers • Eliminates delays • It’s a proven approach • It’s democratic www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org

31. Employee Free Choice Act Because Every Worker Deserves the Freedom to Bargain for a Better Life www.EmployeeFreeChoiceAct.org