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card check advocacy effort in Washington, D.C. Chamber urges U.S. Sen. Specter, Congressional delegation to reject 'union card check' legislation Anti-business, anti-worker bill formally introduced in Congress MEDIA, PA - The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce along with a delegation of more than 70 local chamber of commerce officials and individual business leaders were in Washington, D.C. this week urging Pennsylvania's elected officials to oppose proposed "card check" union organizing legislation. The highly controversial bill would effectively strip employees of a private ballot in union organizing drives, hand the federal government power to dictate workplace pay and benefits, and force unfair mandates on small businesses. The Chamber’s activity in Washington was part of a nationwide effort sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that happened to coincide with the so-called Employee Free Choice Act's formal introduction in the U.S. Senate and House. "Pennsylvania's employers and local chambers are in the nation's Capitol because they are greatly concerned about the economy and concerned about maintaining their current workforce and operations, and they understand the threat to both if union card check is enacted," said Chamber President Jeff Vermeulen. "The unpredictable and inflexible business operating environment that would greet job creators under EFCA could prove too much to handle for many employers. This is something our economy, and the American people, cannot handle." The legislation also diminishes employees' freedoms in the workplace. "The private ballot is a fundamental right we enjoy in America, whether in voting for our political leaders or deciding whether to form a union," Vermeulen said. "The Employee Free Choice Act would effectively take away that right, opening up workers to harassment and intimidation from coworkers, union bosses, supervisors and employers. To argue otherwise is just plain wrong." Vermeulen said the delegation met one-on-one with many of Pennsylvania's federal elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, urging lawmakers to see past organized labor's EFCA smoke screen. A recent study conducted by noted economist Dr. Anne Layne-Farrar found that every 3 percentage points gained in union membership through card checks and mandatory arbitration would result in a 1 percentage point rise in the unemployment rate the following year. The study noted conclusively that the unionization of 1.5 million existing jobs under EFCA in year one would lead to the loss of 600,000 jobs by the following year. Vermeulen said even union households support the current private ballot process for union organizing. According to a Citizens for a Democratic Workforce survey, 69 percent of union households oppose EFCA, while 76 percent of union voters say having a federally supervised private ballot election is the best way to protect workers' rights when organizing. "We came to Washington not only as businesspeople, but as concerned citizens who ask legislative leaders to reject a proposal that promotes divisiveness at a time when we need to come together as a nation to get through these difficult economic times," Vermeulen said.  |
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 Chamber Newsletter: Business Connections UPCOMING EVENTS 9/14/2010 Tuesday 3:30 PM Membership Orientation Sponsored by Sphere 9/16/2010 Thursday 5:00 PM Business After Hours @ Penn State Brandywine 9/23/2010 Thursday 5:30 PM DCYP Mortgage Seminar 9/28/2010 Tuesday 11:30 AM Knowledge @ Noon - Knowledge is Power: Is it Safe to Get Back in the Water?
IN THE NEWS
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