July 17, 2009: Change to Win Statement on Employee Free Choice Act

The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) respects that the right to join a union is a fundamental freedom, just like freedom of speech or religion, and that employees should be able to do so without interference from management.

• Majority Rules, Not the Boss: Currently, a majority of workers can sign up for a union, but the company can veto that decision and demand an election. This allows the company to fire or harass workers, and threaten that it will close the workplace, in order to coerce workers into voting against a union. Under EFCA, if a majority of employees sign cards indicating they want a union, the company has to recognize the union, as long as it is certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
• Fair Resolution of First Contract Disputes: Now, even when workers have won the right to be represented by a union, and even though both sides are required to bargain in good faith, companies can drag out the first contract negotiation process for years. EFCA creates a fair process for resolving first contract disputes.
• Strong Remedies to Protect Workers' Rights: Currently, companies face only minimal penalties if they violate employees -- rights to form a union or negotiate a first contract. EFCA would level the playing field by requiring the NLRB to take immediate legal action to reinstate workers fired for union activity and assess triple damages against companies that punish or fire employees for engaging in protected organizing activities.
  

Learn more about the Employee Free Choice Act.

The Employee Free Choice Act would give millions of American workers a chance to achieve the American Dream. You can help by taking action to ensure Congress supports this important bill.

• Take Action: Join the One Million Strong for the Employee Free Choice Act campaign

Meet working men and women who have courageously stood up for the American Dream:

• Employee Free Choice Act: Helping Workers Secure the American Dream (PDF)
• Straight Talk on EFCA and the Unionbusters (PDF)
• Statement of Edgar Romney, Secretary-Treasurer, Change to Win, on the Employee Free Choice Act (Feb. 6, 2007)
• Statement of Anna Burger, Chair, Change to Win, on the Employee Free Choice Act (Sep. 6, 2006)

• Workers' Rights Statistics
• Why Majority Sign-Up Is Needed
• Why Mediation and Arbitration Rules Are Needed
• Why Stronger Penalties Are Needed For Employers
  
• Q&A: Majority Sign-Up
• Why Workers Need the Employee Free Choice Act
  
• Why Aren't More Workers Joining Unions?
  
• Free and Fair: How Labor Law Fails U.S. Democratic Standards

Organizations Supporting the Employee Free Choice Act

• ACORN
• AFSCME
• AFL-CIO
• After Downing Street
• Alliance for Justice
• Alliance for Retired Americans
• American Anthropological Association (PDF)
• American Association for Justice
• American Constitution Society
• American Federation of Musicians
• American Federation of Teachers
• American Income Life
• American Library Association (PDF)
• American Public Health Association
• Americans for Democratic Action
• Americans United for Change
• APALA
• Apollo Alliance
• Berger-Marks Foundation
• Blue Green Alliance Action Fund
• California Nurses Association
• Campaign for America’s Future
• Campus Progress
• Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice (PDF)
• Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
• Center for American Progress
• Center for Community Change
• Center for Corporate Policy
• Center for Economic and Policy Research
• Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
• Coalition of Labor Union Women (PDF)
• Coalition on Human Needs
• Customs Employees Against Discrimination Association
• Democratic Leadership Council
• Demos
• Drum Major Institute
• Economic Policy Institute
• Government Accountability Project
• Green America
• Green For All
• Hip Hop Caucus
• Human Rights Campaign
• Human Rights Watch
• Interfaith Worker Justice
• International Association of Whistleblowers
• International Labor Rights Forum
• International Trade Union Confederation (PDF)
• Institute for Policy Studies
• Jewish Labor Committee
• Jobs with Justice
• Justice Through Music
• Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
• League of Rural Voters
• Media Matters for America
• NAACP
• NACA
• National Black Caucus of State Legislators
• National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
• National Consumers League
• National Council of La Raza
• National Council of Women's Organizations
• National Employment Law Project (PDF)
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• National Latino Congreso
• National Immigration Law Center
• New Democrat Network
• New Progressive Voices
• The Nation
• The National Workrights Institute
• Organic Consumers Association
• OWL
• The Partnership for Working Families
• Pride at Work (PDF)
• Private Citizen
• Progressive Democrats of America
• Progressive Future
• Progressive Jewish Alliance
• Progressive States Network
• Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc.
• SEIU
• Stonewall Democrats
• The American Prospect
• The Roosevelt Institution
• The Sierra Club
• UFCW
• Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
• United Methodist Church (PDF)
• United States Student Association
• United Students Against Sweatshops
• US Action
• US Labor Against the War
• Velvet Revolution
• VoteVets
• Women's Voice, Women Vote Action Fund
• Working Families Party
• Working for Us PAC