March 2009 EYE on Business-Montana Chamber Newsletter

We’ve warned you before about the dangerous
“Card Check” bill before Congress. We’re asking
you to act now to protect your workers and yourself
from this legislation. It’s ironically named
the “Employee Free Choice Act,” (EFCA), but the only winners
if this passes are big labor unions.

This bill would effectively take away workers’ secret ballot elections
in union campaigns and replace it with a system called
“card check.” Union organizers would be able to approach
workers and ask them to sign a card saying they want a union.
This form of organizing leaves employees vulnerable to labor
union strong-arm tactics and peer pressure.

If you’re thinking, “this doesn’t apply to me, since I’m a small
business,” think again. EFCA makes unionizing a whole lot less
expensive and intensive and many more small businesses WILL
be targeted.

EFCA has a few other dangerous provisions. Employers would
be forced to reach a deal on collective bargaining agreements
within 90 days of a successful union election. If no agreement is
made, government arbitrators will come and make the decisions.
In addition, employers will be subjected to higher penalties when
they speak out against the union. Needless to say, this is a very
anti-employer AND anti-employee bill.

Even Montana voters don’t like this idea. In our annual scientific
P-Base poll, 77% of Montana voters said "yes, Congress should
preserve secret ballot elections in union campaigns."

Our federal delegation needs to hear from you on this important
bill. We urge you to contact Sens. Max Baucus (800) 332-6106,
Jon Tester (866) 554-4403, and Rep. Denny Rehberg (888) 232-
2626, to ask them to please oppose any effort to pass card
check. Don’t sponsor it, don’t vote for cloture, and DO NOT
vote for the bill.

Montana workers deserve to have their right to a private election
in union campaigns protected. Please contact us for any info or
feedback!

By Webb Brown
President/CEO
Montana Chamber of Commerce

Full Newsletter: http://www.montanachamber.com/uploads/docs/EYE%20PDFs/March%202009%20EYE%20on%20Business.pdf