Issue Position: Labor

Issue Position

Standing up for Working Families

It was unions that helped create the middle class and it's the working families that unions support that help shape the character and culture of our communities. Union workers, working in partnership with the cities in the Fifth District, helped build some of the landmarks of our region--places like the Lawrence Gateway, LeLacheur Park and, my personal favorite, the Tsongas Center. I am proud to stand with working families throughout the Fifth District to level the playing field so that American workers can compete in an ever-growing and ever-more competitive economy.

Right to Organize. I believe that workers have the right to form unions. Collective bargaining power has helped ensure fair wages, good working conditions and adequate benefits for millions of Americans. That is why I am a proud co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, which allows employees to form unions by signing cards, in private, authorizing union representation. It requires employers to come to the table to negotiate a contract, authorizes court orders to stop employers from firing or threatening union advocates, and strengthens the penalties in current law for the mistreatment of workers who support a union. Current laws permit a wide range of employer tactics that interfere with workers' right to organize. The Employee Free Choice Act ensures that when a majority of employees in a workplace decide to form a union, they can do so without facing intimidation from employers. This bipartisan bill helps create a system where all workers have a fair chance to secure a decent standard of living, access to health care, retirement security, and a safe workplace.

I also support collective bargaining rights for public safety employees. I voted in favor of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, which would give collective bargaining rights to public safety employees like firefighters and first responders. I also sent a letter with my House colleagues to Transportation Security Administration head John Pistole urging him to ensure that the many hardworking Americans who protect our nation's transportation systems are able to advocate for themselves and are treated fairly.

Making sure labor has a seat at the table. As new businesses locate or expand in the Fifth Congressional District, or when public dollars are used to invest in economic development, I have consistently urged local public and private organizations to give local labor organizations the opportunity to bid on construction contracts and other trades work. I also have strongly supported disenfranchised workers by advocating on their behalf in support of collective bargaining rights.

Fair Pay. I am also a proud co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which passed the House, is a comprehensive measure that builds on the protections in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to help put an end to the discriminatory practice of paying a woman less than a man for performing the same job.

The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores a basic protection against pay discrimination by rectifying the Supreme Court decision in the case Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. The case concerned Lilly Ledbetter, a Goodyear employee with more than 19 years of service to her employer who did not discover until the end of her career that she was paid significantly less than her male counterparts. Seeking back pay, she sued Goodyear. In a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned decades of precedent, ruling that Ledbetter she should have filed her claim within six months of receiving her first discriminatory paycheck.

The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act requires employers who practice unequal pay to justify their actions. In addition, the Paycheck Fairness Act protects employees who chose to share their salary information with their co-workers from being punished by their employer. It also closes loopholes that for years have allowed employers to engage in gender-based pay discrimination without the fear of prosecution. This bill was signed into law by President Obama on January 29, 2009.

Paid Sick Leave. Nearly half of Americans lack paid sick time to care for themselves or for a family member. The number of Americans without paid sick time is even higher--79 percent--for working families in the lowest one-fourth of earners who can least afford to take time off. Even for families with the most income sec01/01/2011urity, 28 percent lack paid sick time. And millions of workers who do have paid leave for themselves can't use it to care for a sick parent or child.

Healthy workers provide greater productivity in the workplace, saving businesses money and helping to grow our economy. Providing paid sick time makes it easier for sick adults and children to be isolated at home and reduces the spread of infectious disease, such as H1N1. Studies have shown that over 80% of parents agree that when they are available to care for their children who become sick, children recover faster, more serious illnesses are prevented, and children's overall mental and physical health improve.

Hardworking Americans deserve the chance to take care of their families without putting their jobs on the line. That is why I am a proud co-sponsor of the Healthy Families Act. This legislation would allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families, guaranteeing up to seven paid sick days a year. It would also allow workers to use paid sick time to recover from or seek assistance related to an incidence of domestic violence or sexual assault. Legislation such as the Healthy Families Act removes barriers that keep women from working because of their family obligations. This legislation will help all workers achieve better work-life balance.

Project Labor Agreements. In February 2009, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order that encourages federal agencies to consider requiring the use of Project Labor Agreements on large-scale construction projects. I support this order. Project Labor Agreements ensure that workers get fair wages, benefits, and have formal procedures that lay out how to resolve disputes. They provide contractors with a reliable and uninterrupted supply of workers at predictable costs for wages and benefits, and make it easier to manage a large project on budget.

Voting to stop tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. Under current law, multinational corporations can use taxes they've paid to foreign governments as a credit against taxes they owe in the US. They can also defer paying taxes to the US on income earned overseas until they bring that income home. As a result, multinational firms can get huge tax breaks for investing abroad--moving factories and jobs overseas--instead of investing here at home. That's one reason that General Electric ended up owing no US taxes in 2009 despite making a profit of $10.3 billion that year. I have consistently voted to remove these incentives and to reward companies that hire American workers and invest here.

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