Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Employee Free Choice Act Update
The fight against the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act recently received a boost when Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced his opposition to the bill. While this is welcome news, it is too soon to claim victory.
The Maryland Chamber will continue to urge Maryland’s congressional delegation to oppose the bill. We oppose this bill because it would effectively eliminate the use of secret ballots in union organizing efforts and replace it with a “card check system.” It would also allow government authorities to dictate wages, benefits and other aspects of business operations through compulsory, binding arbitration if the employer and a newly certified union are unable to reach a first contract within a specified amount of time. The legislation would also impose harsh new penalties on businesses—but not on unions—for violations during the union recognition process.
EFCA would have a particularly devastating impact on small employers who, as the primary source for new jobs, are counted on to reverse the current economic downturn. This bill is an awful idea in good economic times and a catastrophic idea in the difficult economic times now upon us. For more information and to contact your elected representatives, click here.
If you are interested in learning more about this issue, we encourage you to participate in a webinar the Maryland Chamber is organizing in partnership with Shawe Rosenthal LLP on April 22 at 10 a.m. Participate in the webinar to:
- Learn what EFCA would mean, if passed, for large and small employers.
- Get an up-to-date briefing on the political situation and compromise proposals.
- Find out what you can do to help defeat the bill in Congress.
- Understand what you should be doing now to lessen the impact of the bill if it is passed.
Registration is $20 for Maryland Chamber members and $30 for nonmembers. Register online here.
