Dallas Activists Express Thanks to Congresswoman Johnson

It was obvious after the stimulus bill squeaked through the Senate with the minimum 60 votes that the big-money Republicans aren’t going to let the Employee Free Choice Act pass easily this summer. That doesn’t mean it won’t pass, but it darned sure means that we have our work cut out for us.

Texas AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller told the Tarrant County Central Labor Council on February 17 that Employee Free Choice is “a gut issue” and that “nobody gets a pass on this one.” The legislation is vital to all American working people.

Twenty-three of us, nearly all union members, went to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson on February 18 to thank her for co-sponsoring EFCA. She graciously listened to all of our complaints about the way labor law is applied today, but she was particularly interested in Rossia Avery’s story. Nurse Rossia was fired after appearing on TV on behalf of union organizing, but no employer has succeeded in intimidating her yet!

The corporate newspersons did not show up at the Congresswoman’s office as requested (surprise, surprise!) but we put it on the web at http://www.labordallas.org/ebj0220.htm. Actor’s Equity members Linda Coleman and James Kille put three videos on http://www.youtube.com/coolonion.

Big-money employers are concentrating on stopping the Employee Free Choice Act, which would provide a new, alternate, and much easier way for workers to organize themselves. On the workers’ side are American unions, The Alliance for Retired Americans, unorganized workers, and union supporters such as Jobs with Justice, ACORN, and the Sierra Club.

Texas Alliance Secretary Gene Lantz has accepted a large number of free speaking engagements, and we’re looking for more. In February, we scheduled several unions, a Democratic Party meeting, a church, and two college groups. We also ordered a bunch of “Employee Free Choice Act NOW!” buttons.