House Proceeding 03-26-09 on Mar 26th, 2009 :: 1:53:20 to 1:56:25
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1:53:16 to 1:53:36( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: that is not i would yield to my mr. ellison: i want to commend you, congresswoman, for going down to north carolina and standing with those workers. it's not easy. i have been on many pickett line myself. i have been on many a union drive because i believe in it and i think it strengthens the working class.

1:53:20 to 1:56:25( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Keith Ellison

1:53:37 to 1:53:57( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: but you're right, there are subtle points of intimidation to prevent the union. there's a lot of places in this country that it's not so subtle. there's outright intimidation. there are people fired for trying to organize a union. even if you prove that it's unfair labor practice that you were fired for organizing a

1:53:58 to 1:54:18( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: union, generally even if you win, if the nlrb, what happens? minor fine, maybe. a posting up on a wall that stays, we are wrong for doing this. in fact, it's really not a real deterrent to some of the unfair labor practices that we have seen. and i think that having a union

1:54:19 to 1:54:40( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: in place would definitely strengthen a workers' right to raise issues that are of concern to tm at the workplace as you point out. i hope the gentlelady doesn't mind me taking a little turn to make just a few comments that i'd like to make. i also want to thank you for holding it down. it was your idea we do the employee free choice act today. it was your organization that

1:54:41 to 1:55:01( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: brought this session about. and this isritically important that we do this subject, because we do need to help the public understand that a strong work force that's organized, unionized gives voice not just only to unionized people but the entire middle class. so i do want to thank you for organizing this today.

1:55:02 to 1:55:23( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: all i want to do is take a little short detour for a moment and say that the employee free choice act, we often talk about car check. majority card check. as you pointed out if you get 30% of the employees to sign a card, you can get an election for a union now. that's the present law. and that -- nothing about that

1:55:24 to 1:55:44( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: will be stripped away by the employee free choice act. but it's also important to say even if you get majority signup and you get the union recognized or you get 30% which then provokes a union election and you get the union recognized that way, that's not the end of the employee free choice act. the employee free choice act recognizes the fact that even

1:55:45 to 1:56:05( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: after union recognition comes, a lot of employers fight and fight the contract. and you can have a union but no contract. and i had'd love to hear -- if you have any stories about that, because it's important to talk about how workers have dealt with these things. but the employee free choice act

1:56:06 to 1:56:25( Edit History Discussion )

Keith Ellison: requires a period in which there is a mediation on the contract, and then if that doesn't work there is binding arbitration on the first contract so there will be a first contract. after there is one contract, then history tells us there will be another one. but there will be a first contract under the employee free choice act.