Workers’ Rights Are Human Rights : Teach-In on the Freedom to Form Unions

1. Workers’ Rights Are Human Rights: Teach-In on the Freedom to Form Unions

2. Why Workers Want Unions Why America Needs Unions The Freedom to Form a Union is a Fundamental Human Right Why Workers Can’t Get Unions What We Can Do: Mobilize for Workers Rights! Topics for Today

3. 1. Why Workers Want Unions Workers want to join together to win better pay, better benefits, job safety, better working conditions, fair treatment and a voice on the job.

4. Nonunion Union 15 days $801 92% 73% 11.75 days $622 68% 16% Wages Health Insurance Guaranteed Pension Vacations Source: U.S. Department of Labor; BLS; EPI; Employee Benefit Research Institute. Part One: Why Workers Want UnionsUnion Advantage: Wages, Health Care, Pensions and Vacations

5. Negotiate for affordable and high quality child care Negotiate flexible schedules helpful for working parents and those with sick or elderly family members Negotiate for family leave policies that help working parents Part One: Why Workers Want UnionsUnions Help Promote Family Life

6. Don’t Have a Union But Want One Have a Union Sources: BLS; Peter Hart Research. Part One: Why Workers Want UnionsMillions of WorkersWant Unions 57 million 15.7 million

7. 2. Why America Needs Unions AFL-CIO Voice @ Work Campaign

8. Raises everyone’s living standards Stimulates economy Reduces inequality and poverty Narrows race and gender wage gaps Strengthens our social safety net Increases political participation Counters excessive corporate power Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsCollective Bargaining Is a Public Good AFL-CIO Voice @ Work Campaign

9. Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsRaises Everyone’s Living Standards Weak Union StatesStrong Union States 13.4% 16.6% $48,877 $9,296 11% 13.6% $40,333 $6,561 Poverty Rate No Health Care Education Spending (per student) Household Income Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Kaiser Family Foundation; U.S. Dept. of Education.

10. Poverty Line $19,307 Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsReduces Inequality and Poverty Nonunion Union $24,274 $24,211 $23,275 $23,338 $19,115 $18,824 $18,366 $17,950 Source: U.S. Census; Bureau of Labor Statistics

11. Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsNarrows Race and Gender Wage Gaps Nonunion Wages Union Wages $801 $731 $673 $656 $622 $559 $500 $449 All Workers Women African Amer. Latinos +29% +31% +31% +50% Source: BLS, 2006

12.  CEO Pay As Multiple of Average Worker Pay Source: United for a Fair Economy. Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsCounters Excessive Inequality

13. Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsPromotes Civic and Political Participation Strong Union States Actual Voter Turnout Weak Union States Actual Voter Turnout 2004 Presidential Election Source: Committee for the Study of the American Electorate.

14. Corporate Taxes Union Density 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Federal Taxes (as percentage of the GDP) Union Density Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsCounters Excessive Corporate Power in American Society Sources: “Tax Facts: A Project of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution,” www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/overview/source_gdp.cfm; U.S. Census Bureau, BNA, 2001. AFL-CIO Voice@Work Campaign

15. Nonunion Union Unemployment Ins. Workers’ Comp Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsStrengthens Entire State’s Social Safety Net Source: AFL-CIO, “The Silent War.”

16. Social Security Act, 1935 Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938 Pension Disclosure Act, 1958 Equal Pay Act, 1963 Civil Rights Act, 1964 Medicare, 1965 Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), 1970 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 1974 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), 1990 Family and Medical Leave Act, 1993 Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsStrengthens Social Safety Net

17. 1975 2005 Largest Private Employer General Motors Wal-Mart Wages Paid Middle class wage Poverty wage Health Insurance Provided Expensive and inadequate Comprehensive Pension Offered Good None Union Yes No Part Two: Why America Needs UnionsWho Will Set the Standardsfor American Jobs?

18. 3. The Freedom to Form Unions and Bargain Collectively Is a Fundamental Human Right

19. Part Three: Freedom To Form a UnionFreedom to Form a Union Is a Legal and Human Right . . . In Theory “Employees shall have theright to…form…labor organizations [and] to bargain collectively….” National Labor Relations Act, 1935 “Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions...” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 “We support the right of . . . employees . . . to organize for collective bargaining into unions.” Social Principles of United Methodist Church

20. Part Three: Freedom to Choose a UnionFreedom to Form Unions Is Well Recognized by Our Leaders The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Those who would destroy or further limit the rights of organized labor…do a disservice to the cause of democracy. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

21. Part Three: Freedom to Form A UnionWhat Does It Mean to Call Something a Human Right? Calling something a human right “means that it …prevails over considerations of convenience or efficiency.” If something is a human right “then it trumps mere economic interests of employers or the public.” Hoyt Wheeler Past President, IRRA

22. 4. Why Workers Can’t Get Unions What happens when workers try to win a voice at work?

23. Part Four: Why Workers Can’t Get UnionsAccording To Human Rights Watch “Our findings are disturbing, to say the least. Loophole-ridden laws, paralyzing delays, and feeble enforcement have led to a culture of impunity in many areas of U.S. labor law and practice. Legal obstacles tilt the playing field so steeply against workers’ freedom of association that the United States is in violation of international human rights standards…” Human Rights Watch Director Kenneth Roth

24. 32 Million Workers Are Not Covered by Law Independent contractors Supervisors Farm workers Domestic workers Public employees in 23 states Part Four: Why Workers Can’t Get UnionsAmerican Workers Are Losing the Freedom to Form Unions and Bargain Collectively

25. Department of Justice Revoked union representation for hundred of workers. National Imagery and Mapping Agency Terminated collective bargaining rights for 1300 employees. Department of Defense Attacked civil service protections of 750,000 employees. Department of Homeland Security Withdrew right to bargain collectively from 200,000 employees. Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky Republican governors strip state workers of rights. Part Four: Why Workers Can’t Get UnionsDenial of Workers’ Rights Is Spreading

26. Outrageous delays Widespread violations of workers’ rights: a worker is illegally fired or discriminated against for activity “protected” by NLRA every 23 minutes! Employer penalties are weak NLRB election process has become a parody of democracy Part Four: Why Workers Can’t Form UnionsSystem Designed to Protect Our Freedom to Form Unions Is Broken!

27. Employer Interference by the Numbers 92% force employees to attend mandatory anti-worker presentations 78% force employees to attend one-on-one anti-union meetings with managers 75% hire consultants to help them fight union organizing campaign 51% threaten to move or close if workers vote to form a union 25% illegally fire at least one worker for union activity during organizing campaigns

28. Democratic Election NLRB Election All parties have equal access to voter list and voters. No. Employer has full access; union has limited access to list and voters. Yes. Voters cannot be intimidated or threatened. No. Employer harasses and even fires supporters. Yes. Voters can be forced to listen to one side only. Yes. Employer holds voters captive to message. No. One side can delay election and outcome. Yes. Employer can delay both almost indefinitely. No. Election is conducted at campaign headquarters. Yes. Election occurs on company property. No. Part Four: Why Workers Can’t Get UnionsNLRB Elections Are Inherently Unfair and Insult Our Democratic Traditions

29. 5. What We Can Do About It! AFL-CIO Voice @ Work Campaign

30. 57 million U.S. workers want unions and can’t get them. Students can help change that. Workers’ rights are human rights! Part Five: What We Can Do About ItIt’s Time to Fight Back! AFL-CIO Voice @ Work Campaign

31. Participate in National Student Labor Week of Action! Support campus organizing and collective bargaining campaigns. Urge university to adopt a “code of conduct.” Support legislation to protect freedom to form unions. Part Five: What We Can Do About ItWhat We Can Do

32. Lead Sponsors: Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Specter (R-PA) Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY) Guarantees employee free choice through: Democratic majority sign-up First contract arbitration Remedies Part Five: What We Can Do About ItSupport the Employee Free Choice Act,S. 842 and H.R. 1696

33. Find out whether your Representative and Senators have co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act. If they have, thank them. If not, ask them to become a co-sponsor. Part Five: What We Can Do About ItEFCA Student Action Checklist

34. Part Five: What We Can Do About ItHow You Can Help Workers Form Unions The AFL-CIO Organizing Institute recruits, trains and places talented and committed people in full-time positions helping workers form and join unions in the American union movement. For more information, visit www.organize.aflcio.org.

35. Part Five: What We Can Do About ItParticipate in National Student Labor Week of Action From March 31-April 4, 2006, students and labor will commemorate the lives of Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by highlighting the plight of campus workers nationwide. To find out how you can take part, visit www.studentlabor.org.