An Interview With Sen. Edward Kennedy

Card Check and Minimum Wage Increase Are Priorities

Massachusetts Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy.

Q. One of labor’s chief priorities is card check legislation, which would make it possible for workers to join a union if a majority sign union cards. Will you continue to support and sponsor this legislation?

A. Absolutely. It’s clear that the Bush economy is working for Wall Street, but not for Main Street. Americans are working harder than ever, but they’re not getting fair benefits from all their hard work. History tells us that the best way to make sure that workers get their fair share is to give them a stronger voice. Unions make a profound difference in the lives of working families. Unfortunately, America’s labor laws are too weak today to protect workers’ fundamental right to organize. The majority of American workers want a union, but the law makes it too hard to form one. My goal in the Employee Free Choice Act is to protect every employee’s right to join a union, and stop employers’ intimidation and harassment of union supporters. The bill supports the basic right of workers to choose their own representative, and it puts teeth in the law by strengthening the penalties for employer discrimination against workers who favor a union. I’m going to do all I can to get this important bill passed and give America’s working men and women the strong voice they deserve.

Q. You’ve been the chief sponsor of a minimum-wage increase in many sessions of Congress. Will you introduce a bill in this session?

A. Yes, the American people spoke loud and clear in the election in support of a fair increase in the minimum wage. Thanks to the good work of community groups and unions like SEIU, ballot initiatives to increase the minimum wage passed in six states – a major victory for working families. The ballot initiatives were successful because people understand fundamental fairness. They know right from wrong, and they know that no one who works for a living should have to live in poverty. It’s time to give all minimum wage workers across the country a long-overdue raise. My plan will raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. It will benefit almost 15 million Americans. Minimum wage workers are men and women of dignity, and they deserve a fair wage that reflects the dignity of their work. I agree with incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi –raising the minimum wage, should be domestic priority number one in the new Democratic Congress.

Q. The healthcare community and many others are concerned about the administration’s attempt to reduce Medicaid spending. Will you and the Democratic Party oppose those attempts?

A. We’ve fought them before and we’ll fight them again. It is unconscionable to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy by cutting essential healthcare services for the poorest and most vulnerable Americans.

Q. A growing number of Americans believe that our country should find an honorable path out of the war in Iraq. Do you think we should do so? If so, how?

A. The bottom is falling out in Iraq. We have few good options left. We’ve become a crutch for the Iraqis. The Baker-Hamilton report laid out a bipartisan way forward for the nation and for our troops. The President should accept its recommendations, put the Iraqi government on notice that our troops will not be in Iraq indefinitely and begin to bring our troops home. And he must get over his stubborn refusal to involve Iraq’s neighbors and other countries in a serious effort to minimize the damage.

Q. Several recent reports have confirmed that the Massachusetts labor force is shrinking. What can we do about that?

A. Like many other parts of the country, Massachusetts needs to generate more good jobs with fair wages and benefits that will keep residents in the state. Job growth in the state has been weak in recent years, but it’s improving. We’ve been taking important steps to help. More than 40 percent of our workers have a bachelor’s degree or higher, giving Massachusetts the country’s best-educated workforce. By investing in primary and secondary education, higher education, and workforce training, Massachusetts is laying the groundwork to attract even more high-wage jobs. We need to continue and strengthen this focus to prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future. It’s also clear that the high cost of housing is undermining the ability of our communities to attract and retain jobs and workers. According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, 53 percent of CEO’s say the high cost of living is Massachusetts’s biggest economic challenge. We have to do more to help those who are working hard, playing by the rule and still struggling to afford their apartment or home. We need to provide adequate funding for essential housing programs, and we need better ways to keep families safe and secure in their homes.