Brussels, 1 March 2007 (ITUC OnLine): In a statement issued on 28 February, ITUC General Secretary has called the Employee Free Choice Act, which will be voted on in the US Congress today, an important step forward to removing some of the serious problems in US labour law and practice. Millions of US workers have been deprived of the right to organise in trade unions and bargain collectively as a result of the policies and practices of the current US Administration, in violation of international labour standards.

The ITUC statement highlights the common practice of union-busting by specialised firms in the USA, noting that 82% of US employers hire specialised firms to fight against attempts by employees to unionise, and that costly and lengthy litigation procedures are a major barrier to freedom of association.

"The US has an opportunity to show that it will in the future fulfill its international responsibilities to ensure a fair deal for working men and women," said Ryder. "We hope that this important piece of legislation will be adopted, so that the aspirations of American workers to have decent jobs and a proper balance in employee/employer relations can become a reality".

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