SPONSOR:	Rep. Brady & Rep. Plant & Sen. Marshall
	Reps. J. Johnson, Kowalko, Mulrooney, Oberle, D.E. Williams; Sens. Connor, McDowell

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1

URGING CONGRESS TO ENACT THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT.

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 by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a fundamental human right; and

WHEREAS, the free choice to join with others and bargain for better wages and benefits

is essential to economic opportunity and good living standards; and

WHEREAS, unions benefit communities by strengthening living standards, stabilizing tax bases, promoting equal treatment and enhancing civic participation; and

WHEREAS, states in which more people are union members are states with higher

wages, better benefits and better schools; and

WHEREAS, union workers receive better wages and benefits, with union workers earning 29 percent more than

workers without a union, 35 percent more likely to have access to health insurance, and are four times more likely to have access to a guaranteed defined-benefit pension; and

WHEREAS, employers often refuse to bargain fairly with workers after forming a union

by delaying 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 U.S. Congress in order to restore workers’ freedom to join a union;

WHEREAS, The Employee Free Choice Act will safeguard workers’ ability to make their own decision and, provide for first contract mediation and arbitration, and establish meaningful penalties when employers violate workers’ rights.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 145^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware and the Senate concurring therein, that the members do herby support 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 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.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Delaware General Assembly herby urges Congress to enact the

Employee Free Choice Act to protect and preserve for America’s workers their freedom to choose for themselves whether or not to form a union.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this resolution be sent to each member of Delaware’s Congressional Delegation upon its passage.