Graphic Communicator photos by Herald Grandstaff

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the apparent Democratic nominee to run for president of the United States, is enthusiastically received by labor union members at an AFL-CIO rally. At Kerry's left are AFL-CIO Secy.Treas. Richard L. Trumka and federation Pres. John J. Sweeney.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry called on Quebecor World Inc. to stop harassing and intimidating workers who want to form unions. Kerry voiced his support for the GCIU's "Justice @ Quebecor" campaign on Feb. 11 in Nashville, Tenn.

Workers in Quebecor's Covington, Tenn., facility – and in plants throughout the United States – are trying to gain safer jobs and improve their lives with support from GCIU and the international labor movement. Quebecor is the world's largest commercial printer with facilities in 17 countries.

"These workers are attempting to form a union in their workplace but have been met by resistance from the management of Quebecor," Kerry declared in his Tennessee primary-day statement.

"I have always believed that one of the best ways to raise people out of poverty is to give them the real freedom to form a union," Kerry continued. "I urge Quebecor to remain neutral when it comes to its employees' choice to form a union."

Quebecor World has forced workers to attend mandatory closed-door meetings against the union. Management has also implied that the plant might close or jobs might be cut if workers gain a voice at work. During past union organizing drives, the National Labor Relations Board found that Quebecor World broke the law when workers tried to unionize by firing and disciplining workers.

GCIU staff pause after a rally at AFL-CIO headquarters for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry. Kerry was endorsed by the AFL-CIO Executive Council and GCIU General Board. In back are Damian Rivera, left, and Scott Wilson of the Contracts and Research Department (CRD). In front are Executive Secy. Madeline Cox, left, and Amy Masciola of CRD.

"On behalf of the 80,000 hardworking members of the GCIU, I applaud Sen. Kerry for his commitment to justice for Quebecor World workers and for his commitment to workers' rights," said GCIU Pres. George Tedeschi.

GCIU's General Board members at their regular March session endorsed Kerry for president.

"Since the beginning of the year, Quebecor has nearly doubled our health insurance premiums and has quit contributing to our retirement plan," said Keith Rushing, who works in the pressroom at Quebecor's Covington facility. "Sen. Kerry's support of our efforts to provide for our families and win better lives means a lot to us."

In his statement, Kerry also praised the Employee Free Choice Act, bipartisan legislation now pending before Congress. The Act would streamline the process of forming a union by respecting the decision of a majority of workers, bypassing the contentious and delay-prone NLRB election procedure. It would also eliminate employer stalling in negotiating a first contract and provide meaningful remedies for employer violations.