As our leaders debate what to do about the economic crisis, it is crucial to remember that recession is not just about stagnant stock prices, but about lost jobs and falling wages for ordinary Americans.
Once again, our government is protecting Wall Street, overpaid executives, and wealthy stockholders, all against a backdrop of long-term blame aimed against unions and workers.
Workers are the ones struggling day to day, losing jobs, wages, homes, and hopes
Labor laws ostensibly ensure fair bargaining practices, but such protections are not upheld in practice. Instead, workers who try to unionize are routinely harassed, intimidated, and even fired.
We need to honor our commitment to a fair deal for all workers. We need real labor-law reform to increase penalties for employers who break the law by retaliating against workers who stand up for themselves. We need the Employee Free Choice Act.
The EFCA is not about helping fat-cat union bosses; it is not about bringing socialism to America; and it is not about forcing unions on workers.
The EFCA simply guarantees communities a voice in deciding whether they want union representation. As it is, workers have little
The EFCA would help strengthen worker-employer relations, stabilizing production and the economy.
Let's reform our labor laws and give workers a seat at the table and a stake
Kristin Marsh
Fredericksburg
The writer is associate professor of sociology