NPES Opposes Union Power Grab: Urges Congress to Vote “No” on Employee “Free Choice” Act

NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies has strongly urged the 111th Congress to preserve the secret ballot in union organizing elections by voting “No” on the so-called Employee “Free Choice” Act (EFCA) also known as “Card Check” legislation, S. 560 and H.R. 1409. In opposing organized labor’s top political priority, NPES represents the interests of over 450 member companies that supply more than 38,000 printing establishment customers, who together employee over one million workers nationwide,

Under current law, workers have the right to join or form a labor union and to collectively bargain over wages, hours and working conditions. However, in what would be a radical change in labor law, EFCA would permit a “card check” system in union organizing campaigns that would allow a majority of a bargaining unit’s employees to privately or publicly authorize union representation without the protection of secret ballot elections.

This misguided legislation would overturn longstanding principles of fairness and balance in labor law, and undermine U.S. economic growth and competitiveness under the guise of protecting free choice. In short, thousands of American jobs could be lost at a time when the economy is already in the greatest distress in anyone’s living memory.

Equally bad or worse is the legislation’s “binding arbitration” provision that undercuts the employer/employee relationship by putting government arbitrators in the workplace to mediate labor agreements. Under EFCA, if an employer and a union cannot reach agreement within a 120-day period, either party could call for a federal arbitration panel that would set binding (unchangeable for at least two years) language regarding wages, benefits and work rules.

Although EFCA proponents claim that union members support “Card Check”, according to a recent poll by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, cited by the National Association of Manufacturers, three out of four union households themselves actually strongly oppose the measure. And, what was once thought to be a quick and easy victory for organized labor with the advent of the Obama Administration and large Democrat majorities in both house of Congress, has in fact turned into a major political battle between business and organized labor leaders with a political agenda, the outcome of which is uncertain at this time. In order to insure victory for democracy in the workplace NPES will continue to vigorously press the case against “Card Check.”

April 1, 2009 LETTER TO THE 111TH CONGRESS

Preserve Secret Ballot Union Organizing Elections
Vote “NO” on “Card Check”

On behalf of its over 450 member companies and their more than 38,000 printing establishment customers who together employee over one million workers nationwide, NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies strongly urges the 111th Congress to preserve the secret ballot in union organizing elections and vote “NO” on the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act” (“Card Check”) legislation, S. and H.R. .

For more information contact NPES Government Affairs Director Mark J. Nuzzaco at phone: 703/264.7235, fax: 703/620-0994 or e-mail: mnuzzaco@npes.org.