Workers' Rights are Human Rights
By David Bacon
OAKLAND, CA - Workers and union leaders testified at a Workers Rights Hearing about the failure of US labor law to protect workers who try to join unions. They then marched to Oakland City Hall, where they told the City Council about the harrassment of workers who try to join the Communications Workers of America at ComCast. The Council was considering a city ordinance that would require cable companies to remain neutral when their employees unionize. This action was one of many that took place across the country this week as part of global activities to celebrate International Human Rights Day, promoting the idea that labor rights are human rights. Unionists also spoke in support of the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill in Congress that would strengthen the presesntly ineffective legal protections for workers trying to organize unions.
Copyright © 2005 David Bacon. for permission to reproduce, write to dbacon@igc.org
David Bacon is a freelance writer and photographer who writes regularly on labor and immigration issues. His latest book is "The Children of NAFTA" (University of California Press, 2004).