Here is the article, as originally published, in the Newburgh, New York area:

"Members of Teamsters Local 445 in Newburgh Saturday came out to say “thank you” to Congressmen Maurice Hinchey and John Hall for their support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Supporters of that legislation claim it would make it easier for employees of individual companies to join a union and form a bargaining unit.

Employees of a handful of area businesses told their stories of how they workers tried to unionize, but they maintained company management threw every roadblock in the road to discourage it.

“In the past three years, our union has won 27 out of 28 elections it has conducted at various workplaces,” said Adrian Huff, secretary-treasurer and principal officer of Local 445.”However, these statistics tell only part of the story for there are at least another 27 workplaces where our efforts were ruined by illegal management tactics.”

Hall, who is a member of two unions himself, believes the bill will make it through both houses of Congress and be signed by the president this year. “I think we’re starting to turn this around,” he told the 100 Teamsters members who attended the weekend event.

“If it were not for union salaries and benefits, non-union workers would not get those benefits,’ he said.

Hinchey said he is committed to the legislation and the whole union effort. “More and more people are understanding of how important unionization is, not just for themselves and their families – but, that’s particularly their focus of attention as it is for all of us – but, for everyone, everyone across this country.”

Both Hinchey and Hall are among the original co-sponsors of the legislation."