Dear UFCW Local 1167 Members,

This morning, the Senate took up the Employee Free Choice Act, an important bill that would make it easier for working people to join together in unions and achieve the American Dream. And when the time came to show their support, 51 Senators -- a majority -- stood up on behalf of workers.

By doing so, they joined an overwhelming majority of members of the House of Representatives in supporting the rights of workers across America.

In the Senate, though, a majority can still be too few members to pass a bill; and this was true today. Because of Senate procedural rules and the tactics of a few anti-worker Senators, the Employee Free Choice Act needed 60 votes to pass, rather than a simple majority. For this reason, even though 51 Senators supported it, the bill didn't have enough support to move forward to a final vote.

That's a disappointment. But it should only be a momentary one. For if we have seen anything today, it is that our common efforts are working.

It wasn't that long ago, after all, that the idea of a majority of Senators standing with us like this seemed like a far-off dream. Today, it's reality.

So what comes tomorrow?

We keep organizing. We keep speaking out. We keep pushing for what we know is right. And in 2008, we come out to the polls and send a Congress and a President to Washington with even bigger pro-worker majorities, so that the will of the people can be done.

We have a lot of work ahead. For today, though, take a moment to appreciate how far we have come together -- and to take pride in how your commitment made it possible.

Thanks for all that you do,

Greg Tarpinian
Executive Director, Change to Win

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