Rebuilding America’s Middle Class

2. New Main Street Economic Recovery Package Jobs Health Care Reform Infrastructure, “Green Jobs” Investment Good Trade/Offshoring Policy Re-regulate Financial Sector Fair Taxes Rebuilding America’s Middle Class Employee Free Choice Act

3. EMPLOYEES’FREEDOM TO BARGAIN The Key to Rebuilding Our Middle Class

4. What If Presidential Elections Were Conducted Like Union Recognition Elections? 2008 John McCain Barack Obama VS.

5. McCain would have unlimited TV time, including several hours a day of compulsory viewing time.

6. Obama, would be restricted to door-to-door canvassing

7. Obama would have to campaign from Canada or Mexico; neither he nor his aides would be allowed in the country. X X

8. Obama voters risk losing their jobs. The Whitehouse could fire one voter in every precinct,to send voters a message, and chill the campaign.

9. Let’s suspend the election, Sarah, for these good people can get their heads screwed on straight! McCain can delay the election if he thinks he’ll do better later.

10. The election is held in hostile headquarters and voters file by hostile officials as they vote. VOTE HERE if you dare!

11. A large pool of non-union workers allows corporations to put downward pressure on all workers attempts to negotiate for better pay and benefits. Plans to privatize the postal service begin with contracting out work to companies with unorganized, lower paid workers Real “family values” are parents home at night with their children; NOT working 3 jobs to make ends meet! What does a flawed process mean for APWU Members?

12. Allow workers to choose how they form their union – whether by majority sign up or election Strengthen penalties for companies that break the law when workers are trying to form unions        Establish mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract Employee Free Choice Act

13. Only 47% of the public knows that employers oppose unions 60% of union members know that employers oppose (up 6 points since 2006). Knowledge of the Process Remains Limited

14. Strong Support For Employee Free Choice Act  Strongly favor Somewhat favor  Oppose Support for Employee Free Choice after hearing provisions 73% Allows employees to have a union once a majority of employees in a workplace sign authorization cards indicating they want to form a union 75% Strengthens penalties for companies that illegally intimidate or fire employees who try to form a union 64% Establishes binding arbitration in cases where a company and a newly certified union cannot agree on a contract after three months of negotiating 61%

15. Attacks Against Employee Free Choice Act We’re up against a $200 million organized opposition: • Coalition for a Democratic Workplace • U.S. Chamber of Commerce • Retail Industry Leaders Association • Associated Buildings and Contractors • National Right to Work • Rick Berman front groups

16. Eliminates the Secret Ballot • Not Needed Because the Current • Process Resembles Political Elections • Bad for Jobs – Bad for Economy • Will Increase Union Coercion Attacks AgainstEmployee Free Choice Act

17. Eliminates Secret Ballot -FALSE- NLRA currently sets 30% as threshold to get an election Majority sign-up has been legal since 1935 NLRA remains intact after the Employee Free Choice Act

18. Union Coercion-FALSE- 42 Cases of union misconduct (cards) since 1935

19. Employer Coercion- TRUE- Illegal Retaliation by Employers Against Workers for Forming Unions 6,000 cases in 1969 20,000 cases in 1990 30,000 cases in 2007

20. THE CURRENT SYSTEM ROBS EMPLOYEES OF A FREE CHOICE. • Currently, companies, not employees, get to decide how workers can try and form unions • One in five union activists are fired when trying to form a union • The current company-controlled process eliminates workers’ ability to exercise their true choice through the one-sided campaign • THE MIDDLE CLASS IS IN TROUBLE. • CEOs make record high salaries while corporations like Wal-Mart drive down wages • Wages are stagnating as prices are rising • Taxpayers are bailing out Wall Street • UNIONS STRENGTHEN THE MIDDLE CLASS. • They earn 30% more than non union workers and are 50% more likely to have health care benefits and pensions • They provide economic stability at a time of severe economic unrest • As the country works at rebuilding our economy under Obama, unions help ensure the benefits go to all workers, not just those at the top

21. Union Movement-Wide Effort • Affiliate Leadership and Membership Involvement in all efforts • State Federations and Central Labor Council Leadership • CTW and NEA Engagement

22. Legislative Targeting and Lobbying Focus is the Senate with some targeted House work: • Re-sign co-sponsors • Newly elected who had our support • Soft-support Democrats • Republicans we can move

23. Aggressive Public and Member Communication • Message and spokesperson training for union leaders at all levels • High-visibility events • Rapid response • Full-scale paid and earned media

24. Membership Mobilization • Union Meetings / Discussions • Local Union Mail/ Worksite Leafleting • Letters - 1 % • Phone Calls - 1 % • Delegation Visits to Members of Congress • Worker Spokespersons

25. Recruiting and Coordinating Allies • American Rights at Work • Community-based organizations • Faith-based organizations/Clergy • Academics and student groups • Elected leaders and Democratic Party influentials • International support

26. Labor 2008 Six years of Employee Free Choice Act campaign Majority support in Congress Building on Strength and Success “I’ll make it the law of the land.” — Barack Obama

28. Questions? Terese Bouey, AFL-CIO 202-639-6293 tbouey@aflcio.org

29. 866 # SENATORS AK(Murkowski) AR(Lincoln, Pryor) CA (Feinstein) CO (Udall, Bennet) DE (Carper) FL (Nelson) IN Bayh) LA(Landrieu) ME (Snowe) MT (Baucus) NC (Hagan) ND (Dorgan,Conrad) NE (Nelson) OH (Voinovich) PA (Specter) VA(Warner, Webb) WI (Kohl)