Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check Bill)
April 22, 2009

Hi, I’m Gene Barr, Vice President of the Pennsylvania Chamber.

Welcome to this month’s Pennsylvania Chamber Minute.

As a business leader, you’ve probably heard about proposed federal legislation to radically change the way this nation conducts union organizing and bargaining.

The so-called card check bill does three things:

• It would effectively eliminate the private ballot in union organizing, making workers vulnerable to coercion and intimidation
  
• It would greatly increase penalties for violations, but only for the employer
  
• And finally, it would subject private business to binding arbitration if settlement on a new contract is not reached within 120 days.
  

This is a bad idea in any economy, but in this difficult economic time, it would be disastrous. A recent study found that enactment of the bill could result in the loss of 600,000 jobs in just the first year.

The Pennsylvania Chamber is actively engaged in this anti-worker, anti-democracy bill. We’ve worked with our business coalition partners, including local chambers; traveled to Washington to meet with members of Congress; and traveled across the Commonwealth to inform and energize our members and the entire employer community on the negative aspects of the bill.

Recently, we received some good news. Pennsylvania’s senior senator, Arlen Specter, announced he would not vote to support the bill and would not vote to bring the bill to the floor. For this, we thank all of you who wrote letters, made phone calls, traveled with us to Washington, and helped in any way to bring about this action.

While Specter’s announcement was welcome news, the battle is far from over. Organized labor has many friends in Congress and the Oval Office, and they have indicated they will not stop pushing this dangerous piece of legislation.

We need you to continue your efforts to oppose this effort by organized labor. Our federal officials must know the business community is still in this fight.

Thanks for all your support on this crucial issue. And thank you for sharing a minute of your time with the Pennsylvania Chamber – the statewide voice of business.