More than 4,000 Rally Outside U.S. Capitol for Employee Free Choice

Thousands of workers from across the country – some of them fired from their jobs after standing up for their right to form a union --  rallied on Capitol Hill Wednesday and began the process of delivering 1.5 million cards to Congress from supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Facing a row of TV cameras, five workers, three lawmakers and other speakers drew a clear link between economic recovery in the United States and restoring the rights of workers to bargain contracts and form unions.

"Time and again, you've seen your hard work, your creativity, your ingenuity, your productivity taken from you and given to shareholders, to the elites, to CEOs," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), one of the bill's original sponsors and chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. "Decisions about the workplace belong to the worker. That's the promise of America. It's foolish to think we will rebuild this country without the participation of the American worker."

The bill is expected to be introduced soon in the U.S. House, where it has overwhelming majority support. The Employee Free Choice Act has majority support in the Senate, and for the first time, the strong endorsement of the President of the United States.

More than 110,000 CWAers signed and collected cards as part of the "Million Member Mobilization," along with photos of thousands of CWA supporters, plus thousands more from other unions. The photos will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol, reminding lawmakers of the real workers who support the measure, as compared to the empty front groups organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who are fighting against worker rights.  

TNG-CWA member Sara Steffens tells a crowd of 4,000 at the U.S. Capitol that Congress must pass the Employee Free Choice Act. Below, boxes of cards signed by Employee Free Choice Act supporters to be delivered to members of Congress.

CWA President Larry Cohen introduced Sara Steffens, one of four workers who spoke about being fired because they wanted union representation. Cohen stressed that Steffens and her colleagues at nine Media News newspapers had played by the rules of a "so-called secret ballot election and won," and then were fired.

Steffens, an award-winning reporter, worked to organize her co-workers at the Contra Costa Times (California) and eight other newspapers in the state.

In the face of a bitter anti-union campaign, fueled by management threats and intimidation, workers voted for TNG-CWA representation in June 2008. Three weeks later, Steffens and other union activists were among 29 workers laid off.

Steffen's firing is under appeal to the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, she is helping her unit bargain a first contract.

"We need the Employee Free Choice Act so we can feel empowered to step up and help solve problems in our workplace, and not be scared that if we stick our necks out that we're going to be the next ones laid off," Steffens said.

The other fired workers on stage included a California substance abuse counselor, a New Jersey school bus driver and a forklift operator at an Ohio bakery that makes goods for Nabisco.

"The laws are set up for the corporation to win," said Bill Lawhorn, the bakery employee. "I was fired seven years ago and because the company stalled their way through court, I still don't have my back pay or a union. Even when corporations lose, they win."

A key provision of the Employee Free Choice Act is financially penalizing employers who break the law. Currently there are no penalties; companies are subject only to settlements for back pay – which some workers, like Lawhorn, never see.

Also speaking to the crowd of more than 4,000 were members of Congress and the president of the Sierra Club, who said her organization will "work tirelessly" to pass the bill. "We know that companies that treat their workers right are much more likely to treat our environment right," Allison Chin said.