Witnesses from Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana Announced for Tomorrow's Hearing Examining the National Assault on Workers' Rights

by Press Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), co-chairs of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, announced witnesses for tomorrow’s hearing on the national assault on workers’ rights and the impact on the American middle class.

 

WHAT:        House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee Hearing on “The State-by-State
                  and Congressional Assaults on Workers’ Rights and the Middle Class”

WHEN:       Tuesday, March 8, 2011
                  2:00 p.m.

WHERE:    HVC-215
                 Congressional Visitors Center Washington, D.C.

WITNESSES:

American Workers:

1. Tom Guyer –From Wellington, Ohio, Tom has been a parole officer for the State of Ohio in Elyria and member of SEIU 1199 for almost 15 years. He is a U.S. Army veteran and registered Republican. As a parole officer, Tom is out in the community making sure parolees, including convicted felons, fulfill the requirements of their sentence. Tom is married to a public school teacher and the couple has a 10-year-old son. Using their right to bargain, Tom and his co-workers worked with the State to make sure that caseloads stay manageable, that parole officers have body armor and specialized training, and that experienced parole officers can stay on the job. Tom’s main concern about Ohio’s proposed legislation eliminating or severely restricting collective bargaining is what it will mean for public safety.

2. Janice Bobholz –From Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, Janice currently serves as the information systems coordinator and a deputy sheriff at the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. Janice has been a public employee in Dodge County, Wisconsin, for nearly 23 years and has served in a number of roles, including a secretary to the district attorney, a warrant deputy secretary and a 9-1-1 communications officer. She lives with her husband Brian and their nine-year-old stepson. Ms. Bobholz opposes the nationwide assault on public employees.

3. Ryan Fagg –From Indianapolis, Indiana, Ryan is an electrician and an eight year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 481 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is currently employed by ERMCO Electric, an electrical and communications contractor. Ryan is married and has four children. He is concerned that the politically motivated attacks on prevailing wage protections and project labor agreements will hurt his ability to support his family.

4. Courtney Johnson –From the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, Courtney has dedicated her life to serving the poorest kids at the Columbus City Schools in Ohio for a decade. Outside the classroom, Courtney volunteers as the senior class and newspaper and yearbook advisor at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School where she teaches English and Humanities. She and her husband Brady have a 4 year old son. Courtney says that no one goes into teaching for the money, but she expects to be able to provide a middle class life for her family.

5. Lynn Radcliffe –From Euclid, Ohio, Lynn has been an employee of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and SEIU member for 30 years. Lynn works in a department that works with parents, school administrators and educators to make sure Cleveland’s school children are receiving the education to fit their needs. She raised two sons on her own and now has six grandchildren. Lynn’s main concern about Ohio’s proposed legislation, SB 5, is the loss of fairness in the workplace. She has seen her non-unionized co-workers being treated unfairly when it comes to pay, hiring and firing and treatment in the workplace.

Experts:

A. Heather Boushey is Senior Economist at the Center for American Progress. Her research focuses on employment, social policy, and family economic well-being. Her research has been published in academic journals and has been covered in The Washington Post, Newsweek, and a variety of other media outlets, including The New York Times. She has held an economist position with the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and the Economic Policy Institute.

B. Tim Judson is the Workers' Rights Policy Specialist at Progressive States Network, a national non-profit that works with state legislators and advocates to develop and advance progressive legislation in the states. He has 13 years of experience in labor, workers' rights, energy and environmental issues. Prior to joining the Progressive States Network, he was a Senior Research Analyst with the New York Hotel Trades Council, where he conducted policy analysis and strategic research for collective bargaining campaigns. Tim also worked as a Researcher at Cornell University's School of Industrial & Labor Relations on a major study of union organizing and the legal and policy environment. Prior to that, Tim was an Organizer with the American Federation of Teachers.

C. Harley Shaiken is the Class of 1930 Professor of Letters and Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Professor of Social and Cultural Studies in the Graduate School of Education and is a member of the Department of Geography at Berkeley where he specializes on issues of labor and global production. He has served as a trustee of the Center for American progress and on the advisory board of UC Berkeley Labor Center. He is the author of several books including Work Transformed: Automation and Labor in the Computer Age as well as numerous articles and reports in both scholarly and popular journals.

NOTE: Television crews must contact Aaron Albright at 202-226-0853 or aaron.albright@mail.house.gov to arrange coverage.