[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 19, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Reid, Mr. Durbin, 
        Mr. Schumer, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Mikulski, 
        Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Biden, Mr. 
        Leahy, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Levin, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. 
        Lieberman, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Dorgan, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Feingold, Mr. 
        Wyden, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Carper, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
        Cantwell, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Obama, 
        Mr. Salazar, and Mr. Reed):
  S. 842. A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish 
an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor 
organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor 
practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, in recognition of our country's 
longstanding commitment to basic fairness for the Nation's hard-working 
men and women, I am introducing the Employee Free Choice Act. I want to 
thank my distinguished colleague, Senator Arlen Specter, for also 
supporting this important legislation to protect workers' right to free 
association.
  The essence of the American dream is the ability to provide a better 
life for yourself and your family. At the very heart of that dream are 
a good job, a good workplace, good health care, and a good retirement. 
Unfortunately, too many families today find that dream increasingly 
beyond their reach in today's global economy. Vast numbers of citizens 
suddenly find themselves in a race to the bottom against workers in 
other countries. Whoever is willing to work for the lowest pay gets the 
work.
  That is why the labor movement is more important today than ever. 
It's not the profits of business that are being shipped overseas. 
They're higher than ever. It is the jobs of American workers that are 
being outsourced, and they're being outsourced in droves. Hardworking 
Americans are paying a high price for this intense new era of worldwide 
competition. Our economy is growing, but workers are not benefiting. 
Business profits are up 70 percent since 2001, but wages have been 
stagnant.
  Labor unions have always led the fight for working families--for the 
8-hour day and the 40-hour week--for overtime protections--for a fair 
minimum wage--for a safe and healthy workplace--for decent health 
insurance and a decent pension. Every working American deserves these 
protections. But when they try to organize, employers typically respond 
with threats and intimidation. They hire union-busting firms and force 
employees to listen to anti-union speeches. Companies close down 
departments--or even entire operations--to avoid negotiating a union 
contract.
  These are not isolated abuses. Every year, over 20,000 workers are 
illegally fired or discriminated against for exercising their labor 
rights. In at least one quarter of all organizing efforts, an employer 
illegally fires a worker for supporting the union. For these anti-union 
employers, union-busting is just another cost of doing business. 
America's workers deserve better, and our democracy deserves better.
  That is why I am introducing the Employee Free Choice Act, to protect 
the right of workers to choose a union. This bill seeks to level the 
playing field for employees attempting to organize a union or negotiate 
their first contract. It requires employers to come to the table to 
talk. And it puts real teeth in existing protections by strengthening 
the penalties for discriminating against workers who support a union.
  These protections are long overdue. For too long, Congress has failed 
to act against the anti-labor, anti-worker, anti-union tactics now far 
too prevalent in the workplace. This bill is an important step towards 
ensuring that millions of American workers and their families can do 
better in today's economy. I urge my colleagues to join me in this 
fight to support the Employee Free Choice Act.
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