Showing posts with label opposition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opposition. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Coalition for a Democratic Workplace Applauds Senator Specter for Opposing Anti-Worker Card Check Bill

/PRNewswire / -- The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) today thanked Senator Arlen Specter for his courageous stand in opposition to cloture and final passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

In a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate today, Senator Specter voiced opposition to both the card check scheme and the job-killing binding interest arbitration provision.

"CDW appreciates Senator Specter's principled decision to protect worker privacy and secret ballot elections," said Brian Worth with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.

Senator Specter's opposition effectively makes him the 41st vote against the bill.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Obama Economic Advisor Warren Buffett Speaks Out Against Card Check

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legendary investor and prominent Obama economic advisor Warren Buffett has come out in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act as Congressional supporters introduced the legislation today. The Employee Free Choice Act -- or "card check" legislation will effectively remove secret ballots for workers in union organizing elections and bind employers to contracts that inhibit their ability to create much-needed new jobs.

Buffett's opposition to card check comes on the heels of the release of a new economic study showing that the card check scheme will eliminate 600,000 American jobs by 2010 and result in severe job losses in future years as the workforce becomes more unionized.

The study, which was conducted by noted economist, Dr. Anne Layne-Farrar, concludes that every three percent increase in unionization will lead to a one percent increase in unemployment.

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW), the leading business coalition opposing card check, has launched an advertising effort this week in Capitol Hill newspapers to educate lawmakers about the negative impact that the Employee Free Choice Act will have on our economy.

"In a time of deep recession, the last thing Congress should do is pass legislation that will cost Americans their jobs. Card check is a poison pill for our ailing economy. President Obama would be wise to heed the warnings of Mr. Buffett," said Brian Worth with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.

Monday, January 26, 2009

New Poll: Union Members Oppose Big Labor's Card Check

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new national survey of voters released today by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) shows opposition coming from an unlikely source - union households. A special polling oversample of 400 union households shows both union members and all voters strongly opposing The Employee Free Choice Act, often called the "card check" bill.

The findings indicate widespread concern among both voters and union households about this legislation that threatens secret ballots, worker privacy and job growth. Both voters and union members tell pollsters that Congress should focus on other more important issues and put Big Labor's agenda aside.

"The strong opposition from current union members to the Employee Free Choice Act should send a clear signal to President Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress that the EFCA lacks popular support, both among a key Democratic constituency and voters as a whole," said Brian Worth with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. "The only support card check has is among the leaders of Big Labor."

The poll was conducted by nationally respected polling firm of McLaughlin & Associates. It surveyed 1,000 likely voters with a sub-sample of 400 union households. The poll was conducted from January 7 to 11, 2009.

Key findings of the poll include:

-- Three out of four voters (74%) oppose the "The Employee Free Choice
Act." Union households also strongly oppose the Employee Free Choice
Act, 74% oppose to only 20% support.
-- When given a more detailed description of the Employee Free Choice
Act, nearly 9 out of 10 voters, 86%, feel the process should remain
private and only 8% feel it should be public information. Again, even
union workers feel strongly that the process should be kept private,
as 88% said private and only 8% said public.
-- Four out of five voters, or 82%, favor having a federally supervised
election as a means to "protect the individual rights of workers."
The voters clearly see this as a basic right, especially given that
only 11% of voters feel the card check would be the best way to
protect the individual rights of workers. Support increases to 85%
among union households.
-- The majority (52% to 26%) of American voters believe that the Employee
Free Choice Act is not good for job creation. Even among union
households, the plurality (48%) believes that the Employee Free Choice
Act will cost America jobs.
-- In the current economic climate, 52% of voters are particularly
opposed to any measure that would risk jobs or job growth.
-- Further exemplifying the electorates' distaste for the Employee Free
Choice Act, 71% agreed that this legislation would be "unwise" and
"risky." In today's economic climate, the electorate has little
confidence in the federal government's ability to make such major
business decisions.


Despite opposition from their own rank and file workers, labor bosses have made support for the EFCA, or "card check" bill, a top priority this year and are pressuring Congress to act quickly to pass it. Unfortunately for Big Labor, 79% of union workers and voters want Congress to focus on other issues like jobs and healthcare.

"Workers aren't fooled by Big Labor's attempt to increase their power at the expense of worker privacy," said Worth.

More information about the poll and CDW's efforts to protect secret ballots and worker privacy can be found at www.MyPrivateBallot.com.

Methodology: This poll of 1,000 likely general election voters in the United States was conducted from January 7th - 11th, 2009 by McLaughlin & Associates. An oversample of 193 union households was conducted, which brings the combined total of union households to 400. All interviews were conducted via telephone by professional interviewers. Interview selection was random within predetermined election units - in this case, the fifty states. These units were structured to correlate with actual voter turnout in a general election. This poll of 1,000 likely general election voters has an accuracy of +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence interval. The 400 sample of union households has an accuracy of +/- 4.9% at a 95% confidence interval.