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TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Bob Smith which would make it easier for non-unionized employees to organize to increase their negotiating power was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 24-11, receiving final legislative approval.

“The right of employees to organize in order to protect the basic rights of the worker is a time-honored tradition that has lead to landmark employee protections that have made the working place a safer and far more fair environment,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “Unions have been at the forefront of every major employee initiative in the last 100 plus years. We need to continue the tradition of unionization, to maintain a necessary watchdog for the working man, and give employees the ability to organize without facing retribution from non-union employers.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Bob Smith which would make it easier for non-unionized employees to organize to increase their negotiating power was approved by the Senate Labor Committee today by a vote of 3-0.

“The right of employees to organize in order to negotiate better contracts with employers has always been symbolic of the American ideals of hard work and determination winning out over classism and social division,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “By allowing employees to designate a majority spokesperson through card-check, we’re opening up the power to organize to occupations that have traditionally been closed off to organized labor. We’re giving employees in those occupations the right to choose a voice and have a seat at the negotiating table.”