U.S. Chamber Highlights Campaign to Defeat Card Check Legislation

Johnson, Law Outline "Top Priority" Game Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today outlined its long-term strategy to defeat controversial legislation that would effectively eliminate the secret ballot protection for workers when deciding whether or not to join a union. Randel Johnson, Vice President of Labor, Immigration and Employee Benefits, and Steven Law, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, discussed the so-called "Employee Free Choice Act," commonly known as "Card Check," during a conference call with reporters this morning.

"We've now moved into the ground game phase," said Johnson. "The Chamber is undertaking significant outreach around the country to media outlets, businesses and the public, as well as a broad campaign to educate Members of Congress on the potential damage this legislation could have on our economy. In particular, we are now highlighting the less well known problems with the bill, such as the outrageous binding arbitration provisions. The apparent delay in resubmitting Card Check in the new Congress sends a signal that support is dwindling and our efforts are having an effect."

Johnson also cited a new study called the Case Against the Employee Free Choice Act, written by legal scholar Richard Epstein, which points out the risks to job creation and economic growth, as well as other defects of the Card Check legislation.

"We lit a grassroots prairie fire on this issue, and now Members of Congress who had supported Card Check are getting buyer's remorse," Law added. "At a time when the economy is still in fragile shape and worker anxiety is high, people are starting to figure out how bad this bill would be for workers and Main Street Businesses. Defeating Card Check is a top priority for the U.S. Chamber."

This week the Chamber launched new print and radio ads inside the Beltway, and intensified a call-to-action among state and local Chambers throughout the country. The Chamber's radio ad urges the public to contact Congress to oppose the Card Check legislation. As a small business owner states in the ad: "The legislature's got a heck of a lot more important things to deal with than trying to come up with another tool for the unions."

See the Epstein study here at: www.law.uchicago.edu/files/452.pdf

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.

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