GROCERS GRASSROOTS ACTION NEEDED

 

TAKE ACTION!

Senate Democrats Making Progress on so-called EFCA “Compromise”

Senate Democrats are reportedly making progress on so-called “compromise” language on the Employee Free Choice Act in an effort to bring the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote in the near future.  These so-called “compromises” are nothing more than a repackaging of the original undemocratic legislation. 

 

Among the proposals being considered:

• Quickie elections — require that elections be held within 5-10 calendar days of the union’s filing a petition of an election.  This would effectively eliminate an employer’s right to present their case to their employees and deny employees their right to hear a balanced argument.

• Union Access to the Workplace — grant unions access to an employers workplace and private property to seek signature on organizing cards, hold meetings, and campaign with employees.

• New Employer Restrictions — prohibit an employer from being able to require their employees to attend a company meeting to present the company’s views on the union.

• Postcard Check — Require NLRB to increase their use of mail in ballots.  Currently, employees’ rights are protected as elections are supervised by the NLRB and ballots are private.

To view a more detailed analysis of some of the reported proposals by N.G.A. Labor Law Firm, Epstein, Becker, and Green click here (.pdf 35 kb).

 

TAKE ACTION:  Contact your Senators TODAY and tell them that these so-called “compromises” are nothing more than an effort to harm businesses and employees by tilting the playing field in favor of labor unions.  Urge them to support businesses and employees by OPPOSING EFCA and by voting NO on cloture on S. 560.

Senator Harkin May Try to Bring EFCA to Vote in July 

Senators that are key to preventing a cloture vote on EFCA are:

Tier I (most important):

Bennet (D-CO)           Lincoln (D-AR)

Landrieu (D-LA)          Specter (D-PA)

Nelson (D-NE)            Warner (D-VA)

Webb (D-VA)

 

Tier II (many are advocating compromise or are from Right to Work states):

Baucus (D-MT)            Pryor (D-AR)

Feinstein (D-CA)          Reid (D-NV)

Hagen (D-NC)              Johnson (D-SD)

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So-Called EFCA Compromise Proposals Are Just More of the Same

N.G.A. remains totally opposed to any proposals which restrict a workers right to a federally supervised private ballot election, restrictions on an employers ability to present his case to his employees in a timely manner, mandatory binding arbitration proposals, and increased penalties for employers and not unions.  To view rebuttals to a number of the proposed “compromises” click HERE (.pdf 4,463 kb)

Additional resources are available at www.myprivateballot.com.

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Congressional Recess May 25-29 -- Contact Your Members of Congress on EFCA!

Congress will be in recess May 25^th through May 29^th for the Memorial Day Holiday.  N.G.A. members are urged to use this recess period to contact their Representatives and Senators in their local district offices and continue to urge them to OPPOSE the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), H.R. 1409 and S. 560, and OPPOSE any compromise to EFCA.  Proponents of EFCA may try and move legislation in June so your grassroots action during this week is very important.  Click here for a Memorial Day Recess toolkit complete with sample OpEd’s, Press Releases, Handouts, and important facts and information.  Please provide any feedback from your meetings to Greg Ferrara email or call 703-516-0700.

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Senator Specter Announces NO on Key Vote on “Card Check” (March 25, 2009)

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Please write your Senators and Congressmen TODAY!  Here is a sample letter that you can personalize and send to your Congressman (.doc) and Senators (.doc).  You can find the contact information for your Senators and Congressmen below.  For additional resources, click here to visit N.G.A.’s members only section.

In a March 18, 2009 letter to the U.S. Senate Tom Zaucha urges Senators to oppose and vote NO on EFCA explaining the effect the legislation would have on N.G.A.’s members.  To view the letter click here. (.pdf 48 kb)

Senate Contact List

House Contact List

View H.R. 1409 (.pdf 175 kb)

View Co-Sponsors on H.R. 1409 (.pdf 520 kb)

House Democrats NOT Co-Sponsors of H.R. 1409 (.pdf 8 kb)

 

View S. 560 (.pdf 36 kb)

View Co-Sponsors on S. 560 (.pdf 25 kb)