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At a time when 42 million workers who want a union don't have one, employers routinely harass and intimidate workers who organize, force workers to attend anti-union meetings, and threaten to shut workplaces down if employees unionize. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the branch of the federal government that is supposed to protect workers' right to organize, is unresponsive at best, and often actively obstructionist.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, the Seattle Workers' Rights Board (WRB) held a hearing focusing the difficulties workers face in organizing their workplaces and the failures of the federal government to protect this basic freedom. Panelists included State Senator Rosa Franklin (20th district), Representatives Steve Conway (29th district; Chair of the Commerce and Labor committee) and John McCoy (38th district), and Bill Kamela, Labor Staff Director for U.S. Senator Patty Murray.

Expert testimony was given by Dr. Stephen Bezrucha of the UW School of Public Health and Community Medicine and Tracy Lai, a professor at SCCC. Also, workers from a Harley-Davidson Dealership, a rubber molding manufacturer, and Shuttle Express testified to the broken state of American Labor Law:

“For several weeks before the election, there were four full-time anti-union “consultants” in the shop all day long. They met with us one at a time to try to get us to vote against the union. The company put a lot of pressure on the immigrant workers, raising fears about our jobs.” -VICTOR TEMBLADOR–FIRED WORKER FROM ELDORADO STONE

“On Tuesday, October 7 [2003], all 21 employees in the Skagit Harley-Davidson bargaining unit voted. Eleven votes were cast in favor of the union, and ten against. To look at the numbers, you would have thought that we won . . . Of the eleven employees who voted for the union, only two or three remain, and I fear they are standing in harm's way . . . From where I sit, it looks as if my former employers have successfully cleansed their workplace of all union support, and have done so with total legal impunity. The law has done precious little to protect us.” -WOODY BEBOUT – FORMER SKAGIT HARLE-DAVIDSON EMPLOYEE

“I've given a lot of thought to the state of 1st contract bargaining since then. I've been asked several times if I would do it [organize a union] again . . . and my response has consistently been – NO WAY under the present laws, but I would commit the same amount of energy to changing the laws to provide a level playing field to both sides in 1st contract situations.” JAKE RICE – FORMER SHUTTLE EXPRESS DRIVER

The WRB hearing was timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day, December 10th, which was marked with marches and events nationwide in support of the freedom to choose and union and bargain collectively. In Seattle, Jobs with Justice and the King County Labor Council sponsored a march and rally at the Jackson Federal Building at Second and Marion, from 11:30 am to 1 pm on December 10.