WORKFORCE FAIRNESS INSTITUTE

Washington, D.C. (July 13, 2009) – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) today issued the following statement in response to news reports that John Sweeney, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) stated that the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act is no longer the union’s top priority.
 
“Today’s admission by the head of the AFL-CIO that the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act is no longer their top priority demonstrates that even union bosses are starting to get the message,” said Katie Packer, executive director of the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI).  “The American people – and by extension their representatives in the United States Senate – will not support legislation that eliminates the secret ballot and forces government-mandated contracts on small businesses and employees without their consent.”
 
A bill to eliminate secret ballot election in the workplace is currently making its way through Congress. Something like this could never happen, right? Actually, it could. Under the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act,” workers, in violation of our Democratic principles, would be denied their American right to a private ballot in union organizing elections in the workplace. Workers would be forced to publicly state their vote -- for everyone to see.  This is more appropriately called the FORCED CHOICE ACT and would fundamentally change the rights of employees in the workplace … it would force unions on them; force contracts on them and force payment of dues on them.

The Workforce Fairness Institute is an organization committed to educating voters, employers, employees and citizens about issues affecting the workplace. To learn more, please visit: http://www.workforcefairness.com.
 
To schedule an interview with a Workforce Fairness Institute representative, please contact Kelly Oliver (ext. 140) or Mary Beth Hutchins (ext. 105) at (703) 683-5004.
 
BACKGROUND:
 
AFL-CIO President Concedes EFCA No Longer Top Priority:
 
“President Barack Obama met with a dozen top labor leaders this afternoon for 45 minutes, winning the support of organized labor for his drive to reform health care by year’s end.  The closed-door meeting at the White House included U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and John Sweeney, the president of the AFL-CIO, and Andrew L. Stern, president of the giant Service Employees International Union … Sweeney said health-care is the AFL-CIO’s No. 1 priority, and the Employee Free Choice Act is the No. 2 priority. He also raised concerns about the fate of pensions.” (David Shepardson, “AFL-CIO, UAW, Teamsters Meet With Obama,” The Detroit News, 7/13/09)
 
AFL-CIO Executive Council States EFCA “Priority #1”:
 
“The AFL-CIO is committed to building a grassroots program to fight for this agenda of economic renewal, and will build a grassroots structure modeled on the successful Labor 2008 program.  Our energy and resources will be deployed as necessary to turn around America.  We recognize that nobody but the American labor movement will make restoring the freedom to organize priority #1; thus our first focus is building a filibuster-proof majority for the Employee Free Choice Act.” (AFL-CIO Executive Council Statement, “Turn Around America: Enact The Employee Free Choice Act,” AFL-CIO, 11/13/08)