HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 17
(By Delegates Yost, Argento, Barker, Boggs, Brown, Burdiss,
Canterbury, Caputo, DeLong, Eldridge, Ellem, Ellis, Fleischauer,
Fragale, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hatfield, Hrutkay, Hutchins,
Iaquinta, Kessler, Klempa, Longstreth, Mahan, Manchin, Marshall,
Martin, Miley, Moore, Morgan, Moye, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, D.
Poling, M. Poling, Rodighiero, Shook, Staggers, Stephens, Tucker,
Webster and Wells)
Urging the United States Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice
Act (S.1925 and H.R.3619) to authorize the National Labor
Relations board to certify a union as the bargaining
representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign
authorizations designating that union to represent them.
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 (S.1925 and H.R.3619) has
been introduced in the U.S. Congress in order to restore worker's
freedom to join a union; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the West Virginia Legislature supports the Employee Free
Choice Act (S.1925 and H.R.3619) which would authorize the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining
representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign
authorizations designating that union 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 the Clerk of the House of Delegates,
forward a certified copy of this resolution to state's
congressional representatives.