SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 28
(By Senators White, Yost, Laird, Chafin, Foster,
Green, Unger, Fanning, Wells, D. Facemire,
Kessler, Edgell and Bowman)
Urging the United States Congress pass the Employee Free Choice
Act.
Whereas, In 1935, the United States established by law that
workers must be free to form unions; and
Whereas, The freedom to form or join a union is
internationally recognized as a fundamental human right; and
Whereas, Union membership provides workers better wages and
benefits and protection from discrimination and unsafe workplaces;
and
Whereas, Workers want to organize, but can't when more than 40
million U. S. workers say they would join a union now if they had
the opportunity; and
Whereas, Even though on paper America's workers have the
freedom to choose for themselves whether to have a union, in
reality workers across the nation are routinely denied that right;
and
Whereas, When the right of workers to form a union is
violated, wages fall, race and gender pay gaps widen, workplace
discrimination increases and job safety standards disappear; and
Whereas, Many thousands of America's workers are routinely
threatened, coerced or fired each year because they try to form a
union; and
Whereas, Most violations of workers' freedom to choose a union
occur behind closed doors and each year millions of dollars are
spent to frustrate workers' efforts to form unions; and
Whereas, A worker's fundamental right to choose a union is a
public issue that requires public policy solutions, including
legislative remedies; and
Whereas, The Employee Free Choice Act would authorize the
National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining
representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign
authorizations designating the union to represent them or by a
secret ballot election should 30 percent of the workers choose a
ballot election; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby urges the United States Congress to
pass the Employee Free Choice Act; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to West Virginia's congressional
delegation.