[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 8306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, the Employee Free Choice Act is vital 
legislation for achieving fairness in the workplace for hardworking men 
and women across America, and for strengthening the Nation's middle 
class. I have the deepest respect for my colleague from Pennsylvania, 
Senator Specter, and I welcome his recognition of the need for labor 
law reform. But I am also disappointed that my friend feels he cannot 
support the bill in its current form.
  I remain deeply committed to moving this important bill forward. 
Millions of Americans are looking to us to make their workplaces fairer 
and safer, and their jobs more secure. They deserve better than they 
have today, and we can't leave them behind.
  The Senator from Pennsylvania says that we should not take up the 
Employee Free Choice Act now because of the challenges facing our 
economy. I disagree. It is precisely because of the economic crisis 
that we must take new action to strengthen workers' rights.
  Working Americans are suffering in ways we have not seen since the 
Great Depression. Wages are falling and benefits are disappearing. 
Workers are losing their jobs, their homes, and their hopes. Now more 
than ever, workers deserve a voice in the hugely important decisions 
that will affect their jobs and their families in the years ahead.
  Unions were fundamental in building America's middle class, and have 
a vital role today in preserving the American dream. History shows us 
that strong unions mean strong economic growth that both businesses and 
employees can share. Protecting the right to form a union today will 
help countless working families achieve greater economic security and 
build a better and brighter future. I hope very much that all of us on 
both sides of the aisle can work together to pass the best possible 
bill to put working families back on track.

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