IBEW Local 1597 member Mike Semm has an op-ed in the Grand Island Tribune about the need for the Employee Free Choice Act to be passed during these tough economic times. He begins by framing the economic crisis we’re in:

We know the economy has been broken since long before the latest financial tsunami.

Just look at the numbers – worker productivity soared over the last twenty-five years, leading to record profits.  And yet, wages have stayed flat.  Working people are struggling to stay afloat as health care costs spiral out of control.  Foreclosures are at an all time high.  Millions of jobs are gone and millions more are at stake.

So where did all those profits go?  You guessed it!  The wealth that we created, our life savings and our pensions, were unfairly used to fund the fairy tale financial schemes that were concocted on Wall Street.  As it turns out, you can’t really spin straw into gold.

Leading economists agree that we’re living in the worst economic crisis – and the greatest economic inequality – since the Great Depression.  Last year, the average CEO made in one workday what the average worker made in a year.

And goes on to show Employee Free Choice as key to the solution of this economic disparity.

A new Gallup poll shows that a solid majority of Americans support legislation that would make it easier for workers to form unions and negotiate for better health care, wages and job security.  Millions of Americans want to be able to form and join unions, but they shouldn’t have to risk their livelihoods in the process.

That’s why Congress recently introduced the Employee Free Choice Act – a common sense piece of legislation that will let workers decide how they want to form a union.  Workers would be able to choose between the two current methods of forming a union – either with an election or by gathering a majority of signed authorization cards.  The only difference
is that today, the boss gets to make that choice for you.

Instead of going through a typically long and costly ordeal, the Employee Free Choice Act will create a level playing field for workers and management to come to the table and negotiate a fair contract.

To be sure, some corporations would rather keep things the way they are.  A coalition of powerful corporate interests – including several bailout recipients – has amassed millions of dollars to try to defeat this critical legislation through several front groups.

Great piece, Mike! Thanks for making the case for Free Choice for your fellow workers.