U.S. Chamber Launches Ad to Educate Minnesota Citizens on "Card Check" Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today launched a new TV ad today to educate Minnesotans on the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as "Card Check." The ad is part of the U.S. Chamber's Workforce Freedom Initiative, a national grassroots advocacy program to stop organized labor's efforts to deprive workers of a private vote in union elections.

"Card check legislation is bad for workers, bad for employers, and bad for our economy," said the U.S. Chamber's Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Steven J. Law. "Taking away the protection of a private vote would lead to intimidation of workers, even in small Main Street businesses."

The new ad centers on Al Franken's support for the Employee Free Choice Act. This legislation would allow unions to pressure workers to say publicly whether they want a union, effectively eliminating traditional secret ballot elections.

Some unions mistakenly claim that the Card Check bill (S. 1041) would not take away the secret ballot. However, under Section 2 of the legislation, once a majority of workers sign cards favoring unionization, "the [National Labor Relations] Board shall not direct an election but shall certify the individual or labor organization as the representative…" A March 2007 editorial by the Los Angeles Times stated, "…the legislation would do away with a secret ballot in so-called organizing elections…"

Passing the Card Check bill is the top priority for organized labor, despite a nationwide U.S. Chamber survey finding that 85% of American voters – Democrats as well as Republicans – opposed the elimination of secret ballots in union elections.

To see the ad, click here: www.uschamber.com/wfi

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

www.uschamber.com

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