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Thursday, March 1, 2007
Chamber Says House Vote on Union Elections Threatens Workers' Choice
WASHINGTON, DC-The United States Chamber of Commerce today expressed extreme disappointment and concern over House passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), calling the bill that replaces secret ballots in union elections with a card check process a threat to employee rights.
"This vote sends a disturbing message that the right to cast a ballot in private is not protected in the halls of Congress," said Tom Donohue, Chamber president and CEO. "We call on the Senate to uphold the right of workers to vote in private-free of coercion or influence-on whether or not to join a union."
The Chamber, along with its federation partners nationwide, has been vocal in its opposition to EFCA. The card check process called for in the bill would force employees to make their choices in front of union organizers and fellow employees who support unionization, leaving them vulnerable to threats and other pressure tactics.
The Chamber's advocacy team launched a massive, multifaceted grassroots lobbying campaign strongly opposing this bill. Included in the effort were traditional requests for letters and a new online grassroots program called a "Virtual March" where participants could show their support by placing a personalized icon on a satellite image of the national Mall. The campaign resulted in almost 40,000 individual contacts with Hill offices. Targeted radio ads also ran in numerous congressional districts to educate the public leading up to the House vote.
"The business community is mobilized around a single message-you cannot trample on individuals' rights to privacy and their freedom to choose," continued Donohue. "Those lawmakers who decide to take away basic voting rights will be remembered when their reelection efforts begin."
The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
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