Why it's good for rural economies Employee Free Choice Act
Higher wages are good for farming, good for rural communities, and good for the nation's economy. That's because we need good wages to rescue the middle class. Cheap wages just won't get us there.
Think about the way large-scale corporate farms are pushing family-sized farms into the economic ditch and bringing rural economies along with them. Would corporate farms have the same cost advantage if they paid union-scale wages to everyone who worked for them?
Think about all the people who work in rural processing plants and other businesses that support farming. Are the communities they work in better off with residents who are paid middle-class wages, or with people struggling to make it on rock bottom wages?
Think about farmers who want fair prices for what they sell. Who is more likely to be able to pay those prices - middle class consumers or those living on the edge?
The Employee Free Choice Act will make it easier for workers, both rural and urban, to join labor unions - and bargain for higher wages and benefits - and rebuild the middle class. The Employee Free Choice Act is a critical piece of our economic recovery - one that doesn't require printing or borrowing more money. Corporations have spent more than $300 million advertising against the Employee Free Choice Act, but it's not out of concern for worker's rights to a secret ballot. Workers could still choose the secret ballot under the Act, and the people paying for the ads know that. These are the same corporations that have outsourced most of our manufacturing sector and come knocking on rural America's door only when they need low-paid workers. They oppose the Act because weak unions are good for corporate profits. FACT: The current labor law system is broken. 30 percent of employers illegally fire pro-union workers during organizing drives 78 percent of companies require supervisors to deliver anti-union messages to workers 32 percent of workers still don't have a contract one year after voting for union representation FACT: The Employee Free Choice Act levels the playing field for employees and employers. It strengthens penalties against companies that illegally coerce or intimidate employees to prevent them from forming a union. It allows employers or employees to request mediation if they're unable to negotiate a first contract. It lets employees use either secret balloting or majority sign-up to express their choice to organize. FACT: The Employee Free Choice Act does NOT take away secret ballot elections. FACT: A majority of voters support Employee Free Choice.
Take Action
It's time our representatives heard from the rural voters and supporters they represent. Ask your Senators and Representative to support the Employee Free Choice Act today.
GET THE FACTS
About the Employee Free Choice Act (PDF)
Big business and their allies - the same people who created the financial meltdown - have spent a lot of money trying to make us believe that Employee Free Choice would end civilization as we know it. Here are a few facts the anti- Employee Free Choice crowd doesn't talk about:
Majority sign-up isn't a new approach and it's not a requirement. If one-third of workers want to have a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election, they can still ask the federal government to hold an election.
Employers are still free to express their opinion about the union as long as they don't threaten or intimidate workers. Severe penalties also apply to anyone who tries to coerce an employee to sign a union-authorization card.
In fact, 73 percent of the American public, including President Obama, most major faith denominations, and civil and human rights groups support the Employee Free Choice Act and a stronger American economy.
Take Action
Our Senators and Representatives pay attention to what voters say. They need to hear that rural voters support the Employee Free Choice Act and a strong middle class. They need to hear from you today.