US Minority Business Advocates Wage 'War' On 'Card Check' Bill
07 4월 2009 - 2:40AM
Dow Jones News
A coalition of U.S. minority business advocates Monday declared
war on legislation that would allow unions to more easily organize,
a move that disregards attempts by labor and some businesses to
reach a compromise.
"We will not compromise with disaster," National Black Chamber
of Commerce President Harry Alford said. "This is war."
Leaders from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Asian
American Hotel Owners Association, among others, joined Alford in
urging Congress to oppose the legislation. The coalition vowed to
educate lawmakers and minority community members about the
potential negative impact of the bill.
The proposed Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the "card
check" bill, would have workers sign cards rather than vote in
secret ballot elections, streamlining the process by which unions
could form.
The coalition took aim at a particular provision in the
legislation that would call for mandatory arbitration to set
first-contract terms if companies and unions can't agree within 120
days.
The group said it is inappropriate for government-appointed
arbitrators to determine the wages and benefits that companies will
ultimately provide to workers. "This is tantamount to a coup or
power grab," Alford said. "Entrepreneurs don't take the risks and
work hard hours to give it all up."
The coalition's unwillingness to compromise comes against a
backdrop of three major retailers - Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST),
Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI) and Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) -
proposing an alternative to the legislation. The retailers'
proposal keeps the secret ballot and eliminates mandatory
arbitration but gives unions more access to workers and provides
for faster elections.
On the other hand, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has provided a
boost to the coalition's hope of defeating the legislation. The
lawmaker announced in late March that he wouldn't support the bill,
which is a blow to labor because Specter might have provided the
key vote necessary to prevent a Republican-led filibuster, if
Democrats all lined up behind the legislation.
The coalition said it believes more House and Senate lawmakers
likely will follow Specter, but not without some prodding.
-By Darrell A. Hughes, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6684; darrell.hughes@dowjones.com