On the recordOctober 28, 2015
I want to start by thanking Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman for organizing this evening. Many members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus I hope will be coming down and joining us this evening for a tribute to this Working Families Day of Action, the Working Families Agenda. Mrs. Watson Coleman listed some of the bills that we have on that agenda. The problems that working families are facing are not intractable. We know that many working women and men are struggling today, but these problems are not unsurmountable. In fact, they could be solved relatively easily if the Republican majority would work with us to pass legislation that would bring U.S. labor policies in line with the rest of the industrialized world. We have the legislation. We have the public support. We just need action. One solution, which my colleague, Mr. Ellison, mentioned is to allow workers to join unions. We know that union members earn more and have better benefits. A study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that unionized women earn, on average, $2.50 more per hour, are 36 percent more likely to have an employ-sponsored benefit plan and 18 percent more likely to have paid sick leave. Last week I visited with some O'Hare airport workers who came to Washington, baggage handlers, passenger transporters--the people who push the wheelchairs--and others. They are hired by contractors like Prospect Company.…
