Congressman Al Green: “Thank God for Our Unions”

(Houston, TX)--On  Wednesday, November 25, 2015, Congressman Al Green released the following statement regarding his support for the right to collectively bargain:

"There is no doubt that the right to collectively bargain enhances one’s opportunity to pursue the American Dream. It is because of unions that we enjoy this right and have so many needed and meaningful benefits, including health insurance, safety protections, standardized work weeks, as well as family and medical leave. Yet, there are many who would try to prevent some of the hardest-working Americans from bargaining for reasonable wages and benefits at a time when the average CEO in the United States makes more in a given day than the average worker makes in a year.

“As a Member of Congress, I stand in solidarity with the men and women who work hard every day in pursuit of the American Dream. They ought to know that they are not alone in their fight for just wages, needed benefits, and improved working conditions.

“This is why I was proud to be an original cosponsor of and vote for the Employee Free Choice Act. The legislation states that employers cannot intimidate, coerce, or fire employees for attempting to exercise their democratic rights. I believe, along with a great many people of good will, that workers deserve a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of unionization. 

“This is also why I introduced H.R. 122, the Original Living American Wage (LAW) Act of 2015. The Original LAW Act would link the minimum wage to fifteen percent above the federal poverty threshold for a family of four ($23,850) and adjust the minimum wage every four years to ensure that inflation does not erode its purchasing power. We must work for the elimination of poverty wages--raising the wage to a living wage will help us accomplish this.

“Yes, there is still great work to be done to ensure hardworking Americans are being treated fairly as they endeavor to make the American Dream a reality. However, I thank God for what unions have done to replace valleys of despair with mountains of hope.”