"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."
- from the inaugural address of President Obama
I had the privilege of witnessing the historic inauguration of our 44th President in our nation’s capital. It was awesome. I am extremely proud of the role that union volunteers here in Wisconsin played in making that day possible. Every leaflet handed out, every door knocked, every piece of mail sent and every phone call placed made a difference.
It feels like real change has finally come to Washington. In many ways, it has. But now that we have a new administration and a more worker-friendly congress, we must remember that the substantial changes to rebuild the middle class will not happen just because we elected more worker-friendly legislators. Major change will happen only if we, along with our progressive allies, make it happen by mobilizing and creating a movement that gives our elected officials no choice but to fulfill their commitments to us.
It is up to those of us in the labor movement to remind our elected officials that the Employee Free Choice Act is a major part of the change that we voted for in November—indeed the key to restoring a middle class—and to insist on their full support. When working people have the freedom to bargain over benefits and wages, families thrive and our whole economy prospers.
In 2007, the Employee Choice Act passed in the House and while it got a majority vote in the Senate, it was blocked by a Republican filibuster. The new 111th Congress is made up of expanded pro-worker majorities in both chambers. We need to make sure 60 U.S. Senators support the legislation and can prevent opponents from killing the bill with a filibuster. Needless to say, the fight over every vote is going to be fierce.
We need you to contact your representatives in Washington—House and Senate—and tell them how vital the Employee Free Choice Act is to building an economy that works for everyone. It is especially important to thank Senator Feingold and Senator Kohl for their past and future support.
To thank Senator Kohl call 866-207-2060. To contact Sentator Feingold call 414-276-7282 (Milwaukee) or 920-465-7508 (Green Bay).
Over the next several months, we will celebrate the work of local unions as they educate and mobilize members. We will honor the release staff dedicated to passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. We will talk to business owners and management, religious and community leaders, politicians and other allies who stand in support of this critical legislation. Finally, we will feature testimonials from workers who have gone through organizing campaigns and whose stories demonstrate why we desperately need this bill.
It is up to us to win public support and hold all elected officials accountable. True economic security is only possible when every worker has the right to freely form and join a union.
The future of the labor movement is in the balance.
In Solidarity,
David Newby, President
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO