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VEA and NEA Support Employee Free Choice Act

Congress is considering legislation that would remove some barriers that keep private sector employees from choosing union representation. The legislation is the Employee Free Choice Act.

VEA and NEA support passage of the legislation for several reasons:

• The Employee Free Choice Act protects workers' rights to organize and join a union without harassment or retaliation from employers.
• America's labor unions have led the fight for working families, winning protections such as the 8-hour day and the 40-hour week, overtime rights, and access to health care and retirement security.
• Today, the fight continues both to retain these vital rights and to ensure a fair minimum wage and a safe and healthy workplace.

Unfortunately, anti-union forces continue to thwart workers' rights to organize by using strong-arm tactics such as threats and intimidation.

Every year, over 20,000 workers are illegally fired or discriminated against for exercising their labor rights. In at least one quarter of all organizing efforts, an employer illegally fires a worker for supporting the union.

The Employee Free Choice Act recognizes that our nation's workers deserve better. By protecting the right of workers to choose a union, the Employee Free Choice Act would help level the playing field for employees and would help ensure every worker the ability to succeed in today's economy.

Passage of the Employee Free Choice Act will not directly help Virginia’s school employees improve their salaries and working conditions, but our support of private sector workers will help us win their support for our issues here in Virginia.

Do you want to help? Go to this link to send a message to your members of Congress.