Doug Sizemore, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO,
kicks off the Human Rights Day in downtown Cincinnati, OH.
The rally concluded by marching to Congressional Representative Steve Chabot's
office to voice support for the Employee Free Choice Act.
Monday, December 10th, was International Human Rights Day — commemorating the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The declaration states, “Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests.”
"The freedom to form a union to bargain for better wages and working conditions is an internationally recognized human right," said GVP Lynn D. Tucker, Jr. "Countries far less progressive than the U.S. enjoy this right, but workers in America are denied that right each and every day."
When workers try to form unions, employers routinely respond with campaigns of intimidation, coercion and misinformation, some even fire employees. Such retaliation is protected by federal law for workers’ freedom to form a union. But for many of America’s workers, the law is no help as they struggle to maintain their basic workplace rights.
Human Rights Watch, an internationally recognized watchdog organization, studied what happens to workers in the United States who try to form unions. The group found that the U.S. has fundamental human rights issues. And the International Labor Organization (ILO) has said the United States is out of compliance with internationally recognized workers’ rights standards.
AFL-CIO related organizations will stage events around the country today to bring attention to worker's freedom to form and join unions. To find out if your Central Labor Council or AFL-CIO affiliate is having a rally, contact them directly or visit: www.aflcio.org.
If you can't attend an event, you can take action. Our system has to be changed to give all working people the freedom to make their own choice about whether to have a union and bargain for better wages and benefits.
The Employee Free Choice Act would do just that. No single piece of legislation will do more to lift the middle class and create the America that everyone deserves.
Click here to remind your senators: Working families need the Employee Free Choice Act.
