2. “The Less We Are Organized, The More We Will Be Exploited” UE Convention Resolution Organize The Unorganized 70 th Convention – Pittsburgh, PA

3. Today, We Face Big Economic Trouble Stocks down more than 50% 12 million unemployed – most since 1982 3 million foreclosures Worst economy since great depression Nowhere near bottom yet

4. Most Popular Explanation – Burst Of Mortgage Bubble

5. Real Problem: Workers’ Incomes Down – Economy Has No “Fuel”

6. The Roots of Economic Crisis Are More Than 30 Years Deep

7. Through The 1970s Wages Rose For All Americans

8. And Productivity Climbed

9. But When Union Density Began To Decline…

10. …Living Standards Declined

11. Productivity Kept Rising…

12. …But The Wealthy Were The Main Beneficiaries

13. CEO Pay Ballooned

14. More Inequality Than Any Time Since Great Depression Today the amount of income held by the top 1% is the largest since 1928

15. Stagnant Wages Not Only Problem

16. Health Insurance Coverage Dropping

17. Guaranteed Pension Coverage Declining Dramatically

18. We’re Running Faster and Faster Just To Stay In The Same Place… –More Family Members Are Working: The percentage of married women in the workforce jumped from 45% in 1976 to 61% today. Virtually all growth in family income has been from women – men have seen no increase after inflation in their income since the 1970s –We’re Working More Overtime: In the last decade, manufacturing workers worked 225 hours of overtime annually. In the 1960s, the average worker only worked 164 hours of overtime, despite a far superior economy for U.S. manufacturing

19. We’ve Also Fallen Behind Other Countries

20. Because Fewer U.S. Workers Have Union Contracts

21. We Keep Coming Up Short

22. And Falling Deeper Into Debt

23. Growing U.S. Unions Will Restore Fairness & Revive Economy Money in the hands of workers is one of the most effective ways to stimulate the economy – unlike the rich, we spend most of what we earn Almost 3/4ths of the nations Gross Domestic Product was consumer spending in 2008 If we can’t buy the products we make, or the services we provide, who will?

24. Unions Make A Big Difference 30% higher wages 60% more likely to have employer- provided health insurance Over three times more likely to have access to a defined-benefit pension plan Four more paid holidays per year

25. Union Growth Was Part of Recovery From Great Depression The Wagner Act was passed in 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression. Within a decade of this labor law reform one in three workers were union members. Union strength meant workers shared in the nation’s return to economic health.

26. More Than Half of Workers Would Like To Join A Union Today

27. In 2005, a study estimated 53% of non- union workers wanted to form a union

28. But Organizing Has Become A Risk, Not A Right

29. Workers At USCIS In CA And VT Overcame The Risks Last Year

30. But Many Other Workers Have Had Their Rights Violated At ACECO in Wisconsin 500 workers voted to join UE 14 years ago but the company filed a legal challenge. The case is still in court At Arc Bridges in Indiana, management has spent $1 million, dragged out bargaining for two years, and fired four out of five members of the union committee to stop 300 workers from having a UE contract

31. The Employee Free Choice Act Provides Some Answers Recognition of the Union When a Majority of Workers Sign Union Cards Binding Arbitration if a First Union Contract is Not Reached in Four Months New, Stiffer Penalties to Discourage Employers from Violating Workers’ Rights

32. It’s Our Best Shot At Real Labor Law Reform In A Generation The last real chance for reform failed during the Carter Presidency President Obama says he will sign the Employee Free Choice Act –“We need to level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests, because we know you cannot have a strong middle class without a strong labor movement” President Obama, January 30, 2009

33. 70+ Countries Have Fair Laws For Union Organizing, Why Don’t We?

34. Labor Law Reform Not Enough – We Must Organize! UE has organized more than 3,000 workers in the past three years But we must do more to build our union and the labor movement

35. Freedom To Organize Campaign Calls For Action On Both Fronts We’ll fight for a new law to make organizing easier and safer We’ll reach out to non-union workers to build union membership

36. How Can You Help? Tell Congress To Pass EFCA Visit, Mail, Phone or Email Your US Senators and Representatives Make Your Actions Part of UE Action Week (March 29 – April 4)

37. How Can You Help? Organize The Unorganized! Survey Your Coworkers About Workers and Workplaces That Need Unions Bring the Union Message to Non-Union Workplaces During Organize! Week (June 7-13) Form or Join a UE Regional Organizing Council (ROC)

38. Get The Latest News & Info: www.ueunion.org

39. UE Is A Union Worth Fighting For

40. Let’s Fight For Worker’s Rights And Revive The U.S. Economy