Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members in Minnesota did their part to help U.S. Senators beat back the latest attack on worker’s rights. Thanks to members responding to an Action Alert, issued by SEIU in Minnesota, Minnesota’s Senators Amy Klobuchar (DFL) and Al Franken (DFL) received calls of encouragement , urging them to vote “No” on the Republican-backed measure in April.
SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted down a resolution that would have blocked enactment of a common sense National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule impacting union elections:
“Relentless attacks on workers have become all too familiar in our politics. Most Senate Republicans sought to overturn a modest, sensible rule that will allow workers to join together on the job without facing frivolous legal tactics and undue delay. Thankfully, their resolution failed and workers will be better able to exercise their fundamental right to vote in union elections.”
SEIU’s Local 284 Executive Director Carol Nieters added, “In an era of unprecedented income inequality, Minnesotans want their congressional leaders, as well as Minnesota lawmakers, to focus on building a real economic recovery for the 99 percent, not attacking hard working families seeking to better their lives and communities. We should be working together – unions, government and the private sector – to continue rebuilding our economy and creating good jobs that can support a family, instead of trying to undermine workers’ fundamental right to organize a union if they choose to.”
Nieters commended Minnesota’s Senators standing with workers on this issue. “It is unfortunate the same courage and wisdom shown in the U.S. Senate did not prevail here at home in the Minnesota Legislature when lawmakers passed a bill that would have limited union dues from being deducted from state child-care subsidy payments. Thankfully, we have a governor courageous enough to use his veto pen on unnecessary bills like this because Republicans already blocked in-home child care providers from even voting on whether or not they wish to organize for representation.”
The other anti-worker effort spearheaded by Minnesota Republicans—and funded by corporate and conservative interests outside of the state—was the battle against allowing in-home child care providers who receive payments from parents qualified for child care assistance to vote on whether or not they wish to organize a union. A governor’s executive order allowing for a vote was struck down by a court.
