John Kerry: “we are here today to bring a long overdue measure of fairness to a system that because of years of powerful opposition…”

“we are here today to bring a long overdue measure of fairness to a system that because of years of powerful opposition and millions of dollars spent remains rigged against the American worker. Today, it is simply too difficult for workers to claim their legal right to join a union and too easy for employers to prevent them from doing so. This is no accident, and it must change. Throughout our history, it is the labor movement above all else which has stood up as the driving force in support of working Americans, a gateway to the middle class. So much of what we take for granted today--the 5-day workweek, paid vacations, pensions, health insurance didn't happen by accident; they became reality because people in organized labor were willing to fight, willing to march, and sometimes willing to die to stand up for the rights of the American worker. But the work of making America a little bit more fair and a little bit more just isn't over--and once again to achieve another milestone we must stand with labor over the objections of powerful corporate opposition. As a cosponsor and strong supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007, I urge my colleagues to vote for cloture to pass this important legislation and continue the march of progress in this century which organized labor began in the last one.”