thetruthaboutefca.com | The Truth About The Employee Free Choice Act & Card Check

ABC national president Jerry Gorski has been hitting the airwaves and news pages as part of the big team effort to educate the public and legislators about the danger of passing the unfortunately misnamed Employee Free Choice Act. Another contractor, Glen Philips of Philips Brothers Electrical Contractors Inc., wrote in to the Pottstown Mercury in Pennsylvania (a pretty important state in this fight) to offer his own view:

In the article, “Labor leader speaks in support of Card Check bill,” I would like to applaud Jerry Gorski of Associated Builders and Contractors and Nancy Keefer, president of the Chamber for their intuitive input into the misconceptions of Card Check legislation.

As a local contractor, I also oppose this legislation and the government-aided union control of business. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is an anti-worker, job-killing piece of legislation that will undercut any effort to stimulate our economy. The bill will drive up costs for employers, especially small businesses, at a time when they can least afford it.

First, the main provision of EFCA effectively eliminates secret ballot voting in union elections. Secret ballots are the backbone of the democratic system. Taking away this right will open workers up to unnecessary intimidation tactics.

Second, the bill also contains a less known provision that would impose government-mandated labor contracts on employers who are unable to reach agreement with unions after only four months of negotiations. This binding arbitration will be overseen by individuals from the federal government who may know nothing of my business. Under EFCA’s binding interest arbitration rules, employers would have no right to appeal the decision of a federal arbitrator and workers would be unable to reject the terms of the employment contract. In essence, federal bureaucrats would be empowered to establish labor contracts for two years without any accountability to the employer or workers. Binding arbitration will tie the hands of employers and hinder their ability to manage their workforces during difficult economic times. Without this flexibility, many employers will struggle to remain viable in the face of global competition.

In a time of economic crisis, it’s more important than ever for our policy makers to listen to what job providers have to say about legislation that impacts their ability to create jobs. EFCA is a poison pill for our ailing economy, which is why every major business organization from every industry sector has come out in strong opposition to it.

We urge all contractors to keep engaged in this battle. Keep up the fight!

Tags: ABC in the News, ABC Members