Mazie Hirono: “It is sad for our country that today the U.S. House is voting on H.R. 3094, yet another bill to roll back workers'…”

“It is sad for our country that today the U.S. House is voting on H.R. 3094, yet another bill to roll back workers' rights. Today's bill does nothing for the number one issue on people's minds in Hawaii and around the country: creating new, good-paying jobs. We're seeing unemployment on Hawaii Island at nearly 10 percent. On Kauai, it's nearly 9 percent. In Maui County, it's nearly 8 percent. Instead of addressing this top issue of jobs, today's bill is part of a continuing assault against organized labor around the country. This bill is just like the attacks we saw in Wisconsin and Ohio. But Ohio's families said no. And so do Hawaii's. Because Hawaii families believe working men and women should be able to have a voice at the table. This belief helped build the middle class in Hawaii and across our country through legislation enabling workers to bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions. Congress should be focusing on creating jobs-- Not making it easier for a few companies to prevent workers from having a voice in the workplace. While most employers in Hawaii want to support their workers, I have heard from workers in Hawaii that some companies exploit the current system to prevent workers from having a voice in the workplace. For example, in February 2003, National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge Gerald Wacknov ruled against a Hawaii business where a labor dispute had been going on for years.…”