'Card Check' Legislation Ramps Up

FROM: Jade West, Senior Vice President-Government Relations National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW, of which NAHAD is a member association)

We have been hearing for several weeks that pro-labor leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives – Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) – are getting ready to introduce their card check legislation, the mis-named "Employee Free Choice Act." Labor union leaders are now claiming that the legislation will be introduced as soon as next week, March 9th or March 10th.

As you know, this legislation would remove secret ballots from union organizing campaigns and subject employers to the threat of binding interest arbitration in negotiating first contracts and to new unfair labor practice charges and fines.

This legislation was defeated in the U.S. Senate in 2007 when pro-labor forces failed to obtain the 60 votes necessary to close down debate, or "invoke cloture" on the bill. Even though pro-labor forces gained a number of seats in the Senate last November, we can still defeat this dangerous bill. Even some Senators who voted for EFCA two years ago are reported to be re-thinking their position.

But we will only win if Senators hear from businesses in their states – and hear from a LOT of us. Please contact your Senators today and tell them to VOTE AGAINST CLOTURE on the Employee Free Choice Act.

And don’t forget, if you have operations in more than one state, you can write to every Senator who represents any of your employees. Be sure to identify yourself and/or your business in your communications with Senate offices.

IMPORTANT: It is best to email or FAX your messages. You can do this easily by using our "E-ALERT" on-line program. Go to: http://www.naw.org and click the TELL CONGRESS button in the top right corner of your screen. You will be linked to NAW’s TAKE ACTION E-Alert Program.

Click on CONTACT SENATORS TO VOTE NO ON CLOTURE on the Employee Free Choice Act.
Easy to follow instructions, including talking points, will take you through the rest of the very quick process. Go to http://www.naw.org and click TELL CONGRESS now.

Many thanks.