From the DNC website:
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on workers' actions this week and expectations that the Bush Labor Relations Board will continue its assault in the Kentucky River cases, expanding the law's definition of supervisor to potentially strip as many as 8 million experienced and skilled workers around the nation of collective bargaining and organizing rights.
"Under the Republican Congress and the Bush Administration's National Labor Relations Board, workers' freedom to form unions has been steadily eroded by decisions cutting organizing protections. Collective bargaining gives workers a real voice on the job, improves wages and living standards for working families and their communities, and is central to building and maintaining a strong middle class. It is no accident that as Bush Republicans have chipped away at workers' bargaining rights, wages have stagnated, health care and pension coverage has declined, and income inequality has exploded.
"Cutting worker protections is nothing new for the Bush Administration and the Republican rubberstamp Congress. They have consistently been hostile to workers' rights, stripping overtime protections from millions, withdrawing workplace safety regulations, pushing through trade deals that cost jobs for American workers, and refusing to support a much-needed minimum-wage increase, while suporting a pay increase for themselves.
"Democrats have a new direction for America, which includes restoring, expanding and strengthening workers' freedom to form unions and bargain collectively. That's why Democrats in Congress have signed onto the Employee Free Choice Act, which would remove some of the barriers workers confront when they try to exercise their rights to organize and bargain. Democrats will continue to fight for America's working families by strengthening the right to organize and other worker protections and raising the minimum wage." |