From the AFL-CIO NOW blog:
The Employee Free Choice Act has become one of the most-debated political topics in the country, as working people push to protect their freedom to form unions and deep-pocketed corporate groups spend big on anti-worker ads and disinformation campaigns. Over the past two weeks, union members and allies took part in more than 350 events in support of the Employee Free Choice Act, drawing attention all around the country to this critical bill. Here’s a sample of the grassroots actions supporting the national campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act.
* The Alaska Journal covered a heated debate over the Employee Free Choice Act, where economist John Schmitt and state AFL-CIO President Vince Beltrami argued their case against two representatives of corporate anti-worker groups.
* An op-ed in the Arkansas Times from a historian pointed to the need for Employee Free Choice to revitalize the economy.
* In the Denver Daily News, the “Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act” campaign was featured, while in the Denver Post, small business owner Terri Monley said the Employee Free Choice Act would strengthen the economy.
* Florida Today featured an op-ed in support of the Employee Free Choice Act from Claudie Pouncy, president of the Space Coast AFL-CIO.
* The Billings Gazette was one of the Montana newspapers that covered a visit from the AFL-CIO’s Stewart Acuff, who helped the state’s union members get the word out about the Employee Free Choice Act.
* In Indiana, press coverage of the fight for the Employee Free Choice Act included stories on rallies in the Northwest Indiana Times and the Post-Tribune, as well as an op-ed by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Indiana AFL-CIO President Ken Zeller in the Indianapolis Star.
* Louisiana AFL-CIO President Louis Reine authored a guest column for the Bogalusa Daily News about the need for Employee Free Choice.
* The Portsmouth Herald reported on one of the many rallies in support of the freedom to form unions and bargain in Maine.
* In Nebraska, op-eds in support of the Employee Free Choice Act from a small business owner and a university president ran in the Omaha World Herald.
* The Fayetteville Observer reported on grassroots activity by North Carolina union members.
* The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette covered one of the many Employee Free Choice Act rallies around Pennsylvania.
* The Richmond Times-Dispatch is just one of the papers covering the fight over the freedom to form unions in Virginia.
* In Wisconsin, university professors in management and economics wrote an op-ed supporting the Employee Free Choice Act in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and state AFL-CIO President Sara Rogers partnered with Sweeney to pen an op-ed for the Janesville Gazette.
These are just a few of nearly 500 articles, op-eds and reports on the fight to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. The past two weeks have shown the national strength of the coalition fighting for the freedom to form unions and bargain. Now, with lawmakers back in Washington, D.C., workers and their allies will continue the grassroots push to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.