Second, those Americans who are not union members are too afraid to ask for a raise and too afraid to unionize. An American economy whose health is based on keeping working people underpaid and insecure is not a healthy economy at all, no matter what Greenspan might say. It is certainly not an economy to be proud of. Public officials, economists and business leaders should be concentrating on how to raise living and working standards, not how to keep them artificially depressed. That's why we've made organizing a priority and over the past year alone invested the resources it took to win union representation for over 29,000 workers in Maryland, Illinois, Texas and other areas.
Employers have an interest in promoting worker insecurity.
Speaking before the Senate committee, the Fed chairman presented a picture of a strong economy. He noted that unemployment is low and workers are in demand. Revenues are up while spending is down. During his testimony, the Fed chairman wondered aloud when workers would start demanding their rightful wages in this robust economy. I say the answer is now.