Specter Switches Sides
03/31/09
After serving as an original co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act in 2005 and voting for cloture in 2007, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has turned his back on working families by announcing that he will not vote for cloture on the Employee Free Choice Act during this session of Congress. Specter’s flip flop on the bill means that he is trying to prevent the Senate from voting on the bill which is strongly supported by the American People.
CWA President Larry Cohen stated that Specter’s switch “will not defeat us,” and pointed out that he is only one Senator: “We have educated millions of Americans in our movement and outside about why Employee Free Choice is critical to rebuilding our economy and restoring the middle class and we will go forward.”
Hundreds of CWA members from Pennsylvania have faxed personal letters to Specter’s office opposing his position. One member drew on her personal experience, “We really need this Employee Free Choice Act. As an employee of Comcast Cable it took us 5 very long and frustrating years to gain a contract. No one needs to go through that. It took a toll on everyone.”