[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN SUPPORT OF A ``DAY TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 23, 1998

  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support 
for the working men and women in unions around the country who will 
showcase their ambitions, visions, successes and heartaches in what is 
being called a ``Day to Make our Voices Heard.''
  We should be proud of their efforts to create unions to give a voice 
to their aspirations. These men and women embody the democratic ideal. 
They have joined together to help create better working conditions for 
themselves and for all Americans.
  Unfortunately, the limited rights that workers currently enjoy do not 
protect them from unfair and uncivil treatment by some employees. And 
even these limited rights are under attack by the Republican majority.
  Let me give you an example from my district of the unfair actions 
that some employers will take against employees that have joined 
together to form a union.
  One hundred and one workers at Pacific Rail Services, an intermodal 
yard in Richmond, California, overwhelming voted to join the 
International Longshore and Warehouse Union last September. The Union 
negotiated an agreement with Pacific Rail Services, which included wage 
and benefit increases. But just before it was officially signed, 
Burlington Northern/Sante Fe pulled the contract from Pacific Rail 
Services and gave it to another company. All 101 of the newly organized 
workers at Pacific Rail Services were thrown out on March 15 and a new, 
non-union workforce brought in.
  Despite outrageous acts such as this one, the Republican majority is 
determined to weaken even further the right of employees to organize 
and advocate on their own behalf. The majority has already passed a 
bill through the House to give employers the power to hire and fire 
workers based solely on their support for union representation.
  This so called ``Fairness for Small Business and Employees Act of 
1998'' would undermine one of the most basic rights, the right to 
freedom of association. The bill permits employees to discriminate 
against workers on the basis of the workers' union support. It would 
permit, even encourage, employers to interrogate applicants on their 
preference for union representation and to refuse to hire an 
application on this basis.
  Attacks like these make ``A Day to Make Our Voices Heard'' even more 
important. They remind us that we should be strengthening, not 
weakening, the rights of employees to ensure they receive fair and 
timely resolution of their concerns. I join my colleagues in applauding 
the efforts of workers all across the country to publicize the strong 
contributions unions make to a productive and civil workplace and 
highlight unfair business practices, and to bolster the efforts to 
those of us in Congress to protect workers' rights.

                          ____________________