The Employee Free Choice Act Compromise
August 26, 2009

Hi, I’m Gene Barr, vice president of the Pennsylvania Chamber. Welcome to this month’s Pennsylvania Chamber Minute.

You may have heard that supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act are dropping their push for card check language. But even with card check off the table for now, there is little good in what remains under consideration – fast-tracked union elections and government binding arbitration.

Clearly, the suggested five to 10 day election time frame is designed to muzzle employers and prohibit employees from hearing both sides of the unionization debate. Organized labor, on the other hand, would be allowed greater access to employees in the workplace.

This so-called compromise would also establish punitive fines and sanctions against employers, but not against organized labor.

Then there is the continued call for mandatory binding arbitration on business.

This threat to job growth and retention takes critical workplace decisions out of the hands of employees and employers and substitutes the priorities of outside federal government bureaucrats.

EFCA calls for arbitration if an initial contract is not reached within 120 days. Some lawmakers are suggesting a one-year time frame. Under any time line, arbitration is a job killer.

One recent study found that mandatory arbitration would result in the loss of 600,000 jobs in the year following enactment.

As the debate continues, our message remains clear: binding arbitration and fast-tracked union elections are non-starters for business. They simply don’t amount to a compromise.

Business must be prepared if this legislation is brought up for a vote. EFCA is organized labor’s number one priority, and the Senate now has the 60 votes needed to end debate and vote the bill. If that were to happen, only 51 votes are needed for passage – or even to restore the original card check language.

The PA Chamber is continuing its grassroots activity; working with other business stakeholders; and meeting with key elected officials to send a coordinated and powerful message: our members will not accept a bill that threatens job creation and worker freedoms.

Thank you for your continued involvement and support.

And thank you for spending a minute of your time with the Pennsylvania Chamber…The Statewide Voice of Business.