Protecting Workers’ Freedom to Choose More working people than ever—some 57 million—say they would join a union if they had a chance, according to a survey from Peter D. Hart Research Associates. But employers routinely harass, intimidate and coerce workers who try to exercise their right to form a union at work.
On April 19, a bipartisan coalition reintroduced into Congress the historic Employee Free Choice Act (S. 842 and H.R. 1696). The act would strengthen protections for workers’ freedom to choose by requiring employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing union representation. It also would provide for mediation and arbitration of first-contract disputes and authorize stronger penalties for violation of the law when workers seek to form a union.
 | Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney (right) joined (not pictured) Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) to announce the introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act.
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 | Workers describe how their employers harassed or intimidated them for seeking to form unions—among them, Clyde Rucker, senior customer service representative for Verizon Wireless in Laurel, Md., who says he was fired while trying to form a union with the Communications Workers of America.
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