Employee Free Choice Act Press Conference, 2/6/07

Run time: 02:28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7p11ntKEA4   Posted on YouTube: February 06, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 17, 2007 By DU Member: Omaha Steve Views on DU: 352

 

http://www.bctgm.org/Special/CBC_2_07.htm

Bill Lawhorn Tells His Story
2/6/07

The Consolidated Biscuit Company (CBC) promised Bill Lawhorn that he would be fired if the workers’ campaign to join the BCTGM failed. The day after the election, Bill was fired. He was escorted out of the plant by three security guards and met by local police notified by the company. That was 2002. Since then, various levels of the labor Board have held the company fired Bill because of his union activity, which is illegal. It’s 2007. But Bill has not been reinstated, nor seen one cent of back pay.

Today, Bill Lawhorn told his story about getting fired from CBC because of his support for the BCTGM at a press conference on Capitol Hill to introduce the Employee Free Choice Act.

Five years ago, Lawhorn joined with his co-workers to form a union at Consolidated Biscuit Co. (CBC) in McComb, Ohio. Lawhorn was fired after he spoke in favor of the union. Even though 650 of 875 employees—an overwhelming majority— signed cards saying they wanted a union, CBC responded with threats, harassment and intimidation, forcing workers to attend meetings where they slammed the union. The very next day after the union vote in 2002, Lawhorn was fired.

Even though the NLRB has ruled he was illegally fired and has ordered CBC to rehire him with back pay, Lawhorn still is unemployed. But he is determined to keep supporting the union and his co-workers’ freedom to decide for themselves about a union.

Somebody asked me if I had it to do over again, would I? Hell, yes. It was the right thing to do.