NCCR Calls Recently Introduced Card Check Legislation “Intrusive and Anti-Democratic”

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathy Grannis or Ellen Davis
(202) 783-7971
Email: grannisk@nrf.com or
davise@nrf.com
  

NCCR Calls Recently Introduced Card Check
Legislation “Intrusive and Anti-Democratic” 

Washington D.C., February 6, 2007 – Today’s introduction of H.R. 800, the questionably-named Employee Free Choice Act, would significantly reduce employees’ privacy rights in the workplace, according to the National Council of Chain Restaurants, a division of the National Retail Federation. In a letter to Members of the House of Representatives, NCCR called the legislation “intrusive and anti-democratic.” 

The proposal would replace secret ballot elections with “card check” elections, stripping employees of the right to a federally-supervised private ballot, which is provided for under current law. Under this proposal, a union would be recognized if a majority of employees sign a card provided by the union, which NCCR believes would violate employees’ right to privacy. 

“The misnamed “Employee Free Choice Act” offers employees anything but a free choice when deciding whether or not to join a union,” said Scott Vinson, Vice President of Government Affairs for NCCR. “It opens the door to threats and intimidation from union organizers, the employer and co-workers. This bill would rob employees of a private ballot election in one of the most important workplace decisions they will ever make.” 

NCCR contends that Congress recognized the importance of a private, secret ballot election when the National Labor Relations Act was written, which is why federal courts have upheld the coercion-free process for decades. 

In its letter to Representatives, NCCR urged lawmakers not to cosponsor or support H.R. 800. 

The National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) is the leading trade association exclusively representing chain restaurant companies. For more than 40 years, NCCR has worked to advance sound public policy that best serves the interests of both chain restaurants and the millions of people they employ. NCCR members include some of the country’s largest and well respected quick-serve and casual dining companies.  The National Council of Chain Restaurants is a division of the National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade group. www.nccr.net

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