LAUREL, Md. — The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) announced it's supporting the United States Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800, S. 1041), better known as the Card-Check Bill.
The purpose of the Card-Check Bill is to make it easier for unions to organize. Under current law, if union organizers collect signatures from at least 30% of the employees in a bargaining unit, the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will hold an election to determine whether to certify the union. This process is designed to balance the interests of employees, unions and employers in order to ensure that workers can hear all sides and vote in private, without intimidation or coercion.
With the Card-Check Bill, the union would be certified the moment it collects a majority of signed authorization cards, eliminating the campaign period and election. Employee decisions on unionization would be made in front of union organizers, increasing the opportunity for coercion and pressure, the Chamber of Commerce says.
DLI has signed on to support the Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to defeat the Card-Check Bill. The measure was defeated in the 2007 Congress, but is a top legislative priority for 2009, the Chamber says. DLI and the Chamber of Commerce urge drycleaners to write their senators and representatives asking that they oppose the bill, as well as draft letters to local papers to help educate others about the legislation.
The Chamber of Commerce has more information about the measure at its website at http://www.uschamber.com/issues/index/labor/cardchecksecrbal.htm.
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