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Help Secure the Right to Unionize and Put an End to Intolerable Wage Gaps
The economic downturn has hit the American workers who build and stabilize our economy hard. With their future on shaky ground, it's more important than ever that those workers are guaranteed the right to secure fair wages, the right to unionize free of harrassment and the right to equal wages regardless of their gender or race. Two bills currently in the Senate will do just that. But they are unlikely to pass without the critical backing of Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has been noncommittal so far. TAKE ACTION! Urge Senator Feinstein to support the Employee Free Choice Act and ask her to play a leadership role in making the Paycheck Fairness Act the law of the land. The Employee Free Choice Act (S. 560) is essential to level the playing field for workers. It would restore workers’ freedom to join unions and guarantee those workers who form unions get timely contracts to begin bargaining for better wages, benefits and lives for their families. President Obama has already indicated he will sign this important piece of workers’ rights legislation. It’s up to us to help get it to his desk. Call Senator Feinstein today and demand that she support and co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act. Call her at (202) 224-3841 TODAY. While you’re on the phone, encourage Senator Feinstein to join as a co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182), legislation that would finally secure equal pay for equal work of all American workers. The Act would strengthen current laws against wage discrimination and require the federal government to be more proactive in preventing such gender discrimination. It would also close a significant loophole in the 46-year-old Equal Pay Act and put teeth into the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - the first piece of legislation Obama signed as president and backed by the ACLU - allowing for full compensation of sex-based wage discrimination. The legislation has already overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in January with bipartisan support. Now it’s up to the Senate to continue the momentum. Wage gaps unfairly based on gender are not tolerable. Call Senator Feinstein’s office at (202) 224-3841 right now and urge her to take a leadership role and add herself to the growing list of over two dozen co-sponsors. Then click below and send a letter to reinforce your call. In this harsh economic climate, it’s important that Senator Feinstein hears from Californians who care about a safe and secure working environment and fair wages that put food on our families' tables. Join us in action today!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I urge you to support and co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 560) and the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182) and use your leadership to pass both bills to ensure fairness and protect workers' rights. The Employee Free Choice Act would ensure that workers have a free choice and a fair chance to bargain collectively for fair wages and benefits. It would also help workers and employers come together to secure a fair union contract in a reasonable period of time. During these tough economic times, the Employee Free Choice Act can help restore the balance to our economy. Now more than ever, workers need and deserve the opportunity to bargain collectively for fair wages, health care and benefits. Both employers and employees benefit when workers are happy with their working conditions. Additionally, when workers have more money to spend, the entire economy benefits. A growing, bipartisan coalition of policymakers, organizations and employers support the Employee Free Choice Act. I hope you'll join me in supporting this vital piece of legislation. Similarly, I encourage you to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182). The Paycheck Fairness Act would be a much needed update of the 46-year-old Equal Pay Act. Since becoming law, loopholes and weak remedies have made the Equal Pay Act less effective in combating wage discrimination. According to the U.S. Census Bureau women who work full time still earn, on average, only 78 cents for every dollar men earn. The statistics are even worse for women of color. In addition, women tend to be hurt first and worst during economic downturns. And due to rising unemployment rates, families are relying more than ever on women's income - making pay equity even more critical, not only to families' economic security, but also to the nation's economic recovery. I urge you co-sponsor this important piece of legislation to move the country toward remedying pay discrimination. Especially in this economic climate, we need concrete and immediate action to improve the economic security of working families. Passing the Employee Free Choice Act and Paycheck Fairness Act will move our country in the right direction. Thank you.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
ACLU/SC and Community Partners March on Senator Feinstein’s Los Angeles Office
When: Wednesday, June 3rd at 11 a.m.
Where: 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
For months we have been fighting for the Employee Free Choice Act. We have written more than 45,000 letters, sent hundreds of organizational letters of support, made thousands and thousands of phone calls, done delegation visits, and held vigils – all in an effort to convince Senator Feinstein to support workers’ right to organize for better pay and benefits.
Now we’re taking that message to her doorstep. Won’t you join us?
To download the event flyer, click here.
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ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND & TALKING POINTS:
Why the Employee Free Choice Act is Necessary
America’s working people are stretched as never before. Wages are dropping, health care costs are rising and pensions are disappearing.
Sixty million people who don’t have unions say they’d join one tomorrow, but too few will ever get the chance in our corporate-dominated system. Companies routinely intimidate, harass, coerce and even fire people who try to form unions— and current labor law is helpless to stop them. The government found companies were responsible for nearly 30,000 violations of workers' rights in 2007 alone.
Key Provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act
The Employee Free Choice Act, supported by a bipartisan coalition in Congress, would enable working people to bargain for better benefits, wages and working conditions by restoring workers’ freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union. It would:
1) Remove current obstacles to employees who want collective bargaining.
2) Guarantee that workers who can choose collective bargaining are able to achieve a contract.
3) Allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.
Why the Paycheck Fairness Act is Necessary
The Paycheck Fairness Act would be a much needed update of the 46-year-old Equal Pay Act. Since becoming law, loopholes and weak remedies have made the Equal Pay Act less effective in combating wage discrimination.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau women who work full time still earn, on average, only 78 cents for every dollar men earn. The statistics are even worse for women of color.
Women tend to be hurt first and worst during economic downturns. Check out our new state-by-state data on the economic realities of women's lives.
Key Provisions of the Paycheck Fairness Act
The Paycheck Fairness Act would update the Equal Pay Act by taking several important steps toward remedying pay discrimination, including:
1) Requiring employers to demonstrate wage differentials between men and women holding the same position and doing the same work stem from factors other than sex.
2) Prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire about their employers’ wage practices or disclose their own wages.
3) Strengthening penalties for equal pay violations. The bill’s measured approach levels the playing field by ensuring that women can obtain the same remedies as those subject to discrimination on the basis of race or national origin.
