[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E470-E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 800) 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:

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong 
support of H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, and I applaud 
Chairman Miller and the Education and Labor Committee for making 
working families and the rights of organized labor a national priority.
  Every employee's right to organize must be protected. Too often, this 
is not the case, and I saw it first hand when I worked in the retail 
industry. While many companies respect the rights of their employees, 
others put up hurdles and even break the law to keep workers from 
effectively coming together to fight for improved working conditions. 
This must be stopped.
  H.R. 800 ensures that American workers have a voice in the workplace. 
It allows workers to decide whether they want to form a union if the 
majority of workers sign authorization cards in support of the union, 
and it strengthens penalties for employers that discriminate against 
union supporters.
  This legislation is about strengthening America's working families. 
Union workers earn almost 30 percent more, on average, than non-union 
workers and approximately 44 percent more when you take into account 
wages and benefits.
  In my home State of Minnesota and throughout the country, families 
struggle every day to make ends meet. The Employee Free Choice Act 
protects employees' right to organize, allowing workers to bargain for 
the higher wages and the better benefits that American families rely on 
and that they deserve.

[[Page E471]]

  On behalf of the working men and women of Minnesota, I am proud to 
support this legislation.

                          ____________________