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NC Voices for Free Choice: Mike Gravinese, AFGE
24 Mar 2009 by Tessie in Federal Issues, Home Page, Issues / No Comments
“Employers Hold the Power”Mike Gravinese, AFGE Local 3609 member and President of the Triangle Labor Council, is currently working with the North Carolina AFL-CIO on the Employee Free Choice Act. His main duties consist of getting letters and phone calls out to elected officials to demonstrate community and union support for the bill.
“The Employee Free Choice Act is a piece of legislation designed to address excesses with Corporate America,” explains Mike. “Workers are having a tough time and the Employee Free Choice Act allows employees to band together for the common good and bargain for fair wages and benefits.”
Essentially, the Employee Free Choice Act will help restore the balance of power between corporations and workers. “Our opponents have led us down the merry path of corporate excess, greed and financial disaster,” says Mike. “Legislation that levels the playing field is the only answer to restoring the middle class.”
In the interview, Mike addressed the common argument that passing the Employee Free Choice Act will lead to worker intimidation by unions. “Corporations control workers salaries, work hours, and benefits. They have all the power and control,’ explains Mike “All I have is the ability to ask a worker, ‘Do you want to band together for the collective good? Do you want to join a union?’ The idea that I am going to twist arms when I have no real leverage over those workers, unlike the employer, is ridiculous.”
Mike encourages people to call and write letters to their elected officials and ask them to support the Employee Free Choice Act, or thank them if they have already co-sponsored. The more our Congressmen feel that the community supports this bill, the closer we are to returning the strength to America’s working families.
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