NEVADA BUSINESS GROUPS ASK SECRETARY SOLIS TO RECONSIDER HER SUPPORT OF EFCA
Source: Nevada Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
Apr 23, 2009 - 8:27:56 AM
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RENO, NV - The Nevada Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (NVCDW) welcomes Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to Nevada and urges that she reconsider her support of the job-killing, deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act legislation in Congress. The NVCDW is made up of pro business organizations representing thousands of working men and women in Nevada who would be negatively impacted by this legislation.
The Employee Free Choice Act, aka “Card Check”, would take away numerous rights and protections currently afforded workers employed at companies where unions are actively seeking to organize. The bill would strip employees of their privacy when casting ballots deciding whether to join a union. Under current law, workers maintain rights to a federally supervised private-ballot election. Under EFCA, workers would be pressured to sign cards in front of organizers and colleagues, potentially subjecting them to harassment or intimidation. Once a majority of employees have signed cards, the union is immediately recognized. “This proposal undercuts basic worker rights and protections,” said Doug Kurkul, President & CEO, Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce. “There is no freedom of choice for workers without a secret ballot. Even worse, there would be fewer jobs for Nevada workers because this bill would undermine U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace.”
In addition, the proposal undermines collective bargaining by forcing negotiations rapidly into federal binding arbitration. Arbitrators, with little or no prior knowledge of the business, would be free to impose wage, benefit and work terms irrespective of union or management bargaining offers. Under this proposal, employees would lose the right to ratify or decline their contracts; instead, the determination of federal arbitrators would be final.
The bill failed to pass the 110th Congress in 2007, but following last year’s election, unions are relying on President Barack Obama and stronger majorities in Congress to help them push this bill in the 111th Congress.
Please find more information at www.nvcdw.com.
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