From American Rights at Work Acting Executive Director Kimberly Freeman

WASHINGTON, DC— "Today’s endorsement of the Employee Free Choice Act by an international coalition of institutional investors introduces a crucial business voice to the debate over the Employee Free Choice Act. The letter of support from these investors, who manage over $372 billion in assets, makes it clear that investing in workers’ rights and a strong, sustainable economy go hand in hand. These forward-thinking investors confirm the economic case for the Employee Free Choice Act.

The investors’ coalition joins many others in the business community in recognizing that the Employee Free Choice Act is good for workers, business, and society at large. Allowing workers to freely form unions is essential to both increasing middle-class purchasing power and producing a highly-skilled workforce to promote future economic growth. Unfortunately, under the current labor law system, illegal firings, anti-union threats, and employer intimidation keep workers from exercising their choice on joining a union. By rectifying these flaws, the Employee Free Choice Act will stimulate the economy by allowing workers to bargain, not borrow their way into the middle class.

Without labor law reform, economic opportunity for America’s working families will continue to erode. When workers are free to form a union and bargain collectively, our economy can work for everyone again."

To view the coalition’s statement and letter to Congress, click here.