SJ0035 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0035 LRB096 04778 GRL 14842 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1935, during the middle of the Great Depression, the United States Congress established, by law, that workers in the U.S. must be free to form a collective bargaining unit; and

WHEREAS, The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights implemented by the United Nations recognizes the freedom to form or join a union as a fundamental human right; and

WHEREAS, Workers who first joined unions are credited with starting the American middle class, while continuing to fight for higher living standards, equal rights for all Americans, and ending discrimination in the workplace; and

WHEREAS, 69 percent of Americans agree that it is very or fairly important to have strong laws that give employees the freedom to make their own choice about whether to form a union in their workplace; and

WHEREAS, Union members consistently earn 29 percent higher wages and 35 percent better benefits than those employees who do not belong to a collective bargaining unit; and

WHEREAS, Union membership helps raise workers' pay and narrow the income gap for minorities and women, increasing median weekly earnings by 31 percent for union women workers, 31 percent for African-American workers, 50 percent for Latino workers, and 9 percent for Asian-American workers; and

WHEREAS, Workers across the nation are routinely intimidated when trying to form unions and bargain for a better life; 25 percent of private sector employers illegally fire at least one worker for union activity during organizing campaigns; and

WHEREAS, Recent national surveys show that 60 million non-union workers would like to have a union for collective bargaining in their workplace; furthermore, 78 percent of American adults favor legislation that would make it easier for workers to bargain with their employers; and

WHEREAS, An entire host of business consultants devoted to making sure that the National Labor Relations Act election process does not result in collective bargaining has grown into a $4 billion industry in the United States; and

WHEREAS, 78 percent of employers force their employees to attend mandatory anti-union meetings; and

WHEREAS, 64 percent of American adults favor strengthening penalties for companies that illegally intimidate or fire employees who try to form a union in their workplace; and

WHEREAS, Employers often refuse to bargain fairly with workers after forming a union by dragging out first contract bargaining for up to two years in 45 percent of successful campaigns; and

WHEREAS, The Employee Free Choice Act has been introduced in the 111th United States Congress in order to restore workers' freedom to join a union; and

WHEREAS, The Employee Free Choice Act will safeguard workers' ability to make their own decisions about joining a union without harassment or fear of losing their jobs, provide for first contract mediation and arbitration, and establish meaningful penalties when employers violate workers' rights; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we support the provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would authorize the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign authorization cards designating the union they wish to represent them, provide for first contract mediation and arbitration, and establish meaningful penalties for violations of a worker's freedom to choose a union; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the United States Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.