Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act.

This bill would severely undermine workers' rights to organize and, if implemented, will eventually silence and end unions as we know them.

Congressman George Miller was correct in referring to this bill as the Election Prevention Act. H.R. 3094 would require the National Labor Relations Board to hear useless and trivial appeals from companies in order to stop elections. This is an outright assault on middle class workers and the families they support.

The middle class is in decline. A CBO report found that between 1979 and 2007, the top 1 percent of earners experienced income growth of 275 percent. That's the top 1 percent, while the middle-income earners saw only 40 percent in growth over the same period. Statistics like these are startling and paint a distinct picture of this country as one that is quickly evolving into a two-tiered society with no room at the top at all for the middle class.

The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act is nothing more than an outright assault on the middle class. If this misguided and dangerous legislation is passed, you will see an even more rapid decline of the middle class in our country. I urge all Members of the House to rebuke this misguided legislation and instead focus on policies that will encourage and facilitate job growth.

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