WORKFORCE FAIRNESS INSTITUTE

Washington, D.C. (July 23, 2009)  – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) today issued the following statement in response to union bosses stating the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act is going through the “normal” and “usual” legislative process while their stated intention is to use backdoor-legislative tactics to insert previously removed provisions in any so-called “compromise” language.
 
“Union bosses may believe it is normal to muscle in job-killing, anti-democratic provisions into legislation outside the public view, but they stand alone in that assessment.  The Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act eliminates the secret ballot, forces unionization on small businesses, and mandates government intervention in the workplace disallowing workers from having a voice in their own contract negotiations,” said Katie Packer, executive director of the Workforce Fairness Institute.  “The American people will not see anything normal in U.S. Senators supporting legislation that results in additional job loss during a historic recession and serves as nothing more than ‘payback’ to labor bosses.”
 
BACKGROUND:
 
SEIU Boss Stern States “EFCA Is Going Through Usual Legislative Process” And “Expect[s] A Vote On A Majority Sign-Up Provision”
 
“Soon after the Times piece hit the newsstands late last week, Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern quickly poured cold water on it.  In a brief statement, he strongly suggested that he expects the contentious provision to be restored once it hits the Senate floor.  ‘As we have said from day one, majority sign-up is the best way for workers to have the right to choose a voice at their workplace,’ Stern said.  ‘The Employee Free Choice Act is going through the usual legislative process, and we expect a vote on a majority sign-up provision in the final bill or by amendment in both houses of Congress.’  SEIU spokeswoman Ramona Oliver on Friday declined to elaborate on Stern’s statement, calling it ‘very, very clear.’” (Matthew Murray, “Unions Open To EFCA Deal,” Roll Call, 7/20/09)
 
Economic Study Concludes Jobs Lost If EFCA Becomes Law:
 
“Today, we learn that an independent quantitative analysis of the economic consequences concludes that millions of jobs would be lost if Card Check became law … Using data from Canada’s experience with a Card Check system, economist Dr. Anne Layne-Farrar’s assessment of the consequences of adopting the same system in the U.S. found that union membership would increase, but so would unemployment.  Said Layne-Farrar: ‘For every three percentage points gained in union membership through card checks and mandatory arbitration, the following year’s unemployment rate is predicted to increase by one percentage point and job creation is predicted to fall by around 1.5 million jobs.’” (“Quantitative Study Finds Card Check Would Cost Millions Of Jobs,” Washington Examiner, 3/5/09)
 
For more information on the economic study, go to: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1353305
 
AFSCME Boss McEntee Says EFCA Is “Payback” For Unions’ Political Support:
 
McEntee Said That Card Check Was “Payback” For Labor Movement’s Support. “Gerald McEntee, president of the influential American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, told The Washington Times in an interview that EFCA was ‘payback’ for the labor movement’s massive campaign effort for Mr. Obama and the Democrats.” (David R. Sands, “Labor’s ‘Priority’ On Back Burner,” The Washington Times, 12/29/08)