Card Check React

Reaction is rolling in on the so-called card check legislation. From the National Restaurant Association:



National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Beth Johnson made the following statement today regarding U.S. House and Senate introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act:

"The National Restaurant Association is strongly opposed to the misleadingly titled Employee Free Choice Act, a bill proposing dramatic and harmful changes to U.S. labor law. Currently, employees are entitled to a private-ballot election when deciding whether they want union representation in their workplace. Should Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act, employees effectively lose their right to private-ballot elections. The bill would establish a so-called 'card-check' union organizing system, in which a majority of employees simply sign a card in favor of union representation. Moving to a card-check process rather than a federally supervised election is a clear violation of employee rights and one that will subject employees to pressure and intimidation.

"We have been working with our strong grassroots network of restaurateurs from across the country and our State Restaurant Association partners to actively oppose this bill. Yesterday, our office was picketed by Washington, D.C. based union protesters, attempting to intimidate us much as they would employees under the flawed card check process. Just as our employees don’t like being pressured on decisions, neither does the National Restaurant Association. Our voices are being heard by lawmakers, and we believe that Congress will do the right thing and protect the right to a private ballot."

From the United Fresh Produce Association:

The misnamed Employee Free Choice Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate today, after barely failing to pass in 2008. The United Fresh Produce Association strongly opposes the dangerous public policy contained in this bill which would strip workers of their right to a secret-ballot in union election.

“The fight to prevent card check from becoming the law of the land is an uphill battle,” said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. “The House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported a similar bill last year, and the Senate barely blocked that legislation. Now, the tenor in the Senate seems even more foreboding of taking away workers’ rights, and President Obama has said that he will sign the bill into law if it passes. These are perilous times for democracy when it comes to choosing which, if any, union workers want to represent them.”

“While we’ll take the fight over card check to every Congressional district, the eventual determination of whether this bill passes likely rests in the hands of just a few key Senators in swing states,” Stenzel continued. “That’s why we’re announcing the formation of Card Check Grassroots Networks in eight key states where we believe we need to make a difference. The states include:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Louisiana
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia

These states were chosen in consultation with the leadership of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW), the broad-based business organization leading opposition to card check. United Fresh is a member of the Steering Committee of CDW, which is a national coalition including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and groups representing almost every industry sector with major employment. CDW has also implemented state coalitions to bring all business sectors together, and United will be integrating members of its produce industry grassroots teams into this larger network as well.

Each state grassroots network will bring together companies and individuals from the entire produce supply chain in each state, building not only upon the grower agricultural base that may be present, but calling on all processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, restaurants and allied suppliers in each state. The grassroots team within each state will be led by a member chairman or co-chairs with a goal of building the widest possible network of individuals to call and write letters to Congress, meet with their Senators in their home state, provide letters and editorials to local newspapers, call on their friends and neighbors to educate them on the danger of card check and generally lead the charge in this highly targeted effort.

“The card check state grassroots networks will be organized by our Vice President of Legislative Affairs Kam Quarles, working closely with Senior Vice President Robert Guenther,” Stenzel said. “We’ll also bring everything we have to bear from our outside legislative/lobbying team and our outside legal team. Kam will be working with our staff to provide each state network with background information, strategy papers, day-to-day intelligence on actions in Washington and other support targeted specifically to each state.”

In addition to United’s leadership within the CDW coalition, the association is active in the Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace (ADW) coalition launched by the California Farm Bureau, California Grape & Treefruit League and Western Growers Association.

“It’s gratifying to see both agriculture and the general business community rallying together on this issue,” Stenzel said. “But, the road is not easy. We simply must reach out at the local level in these eight priority states if we’re to have a chance to win this battle,” he said.

The United Fresh Card Check Resource Center is now available for all members to learn about the issues and make their views known about this legislation. For more information contact Kam Quarles at kquarles@unitedfresh.org or (202) 303-3427.