Small business owners all across the country continue to speak out against the misnamed
Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would actually
take away employees’ ability to freely and privately choose whether they wish to join a particular union. As part of that effort, key minority business groups came to Capitol Hill this morning to explain their opposition to the legislation and urge Members of Congress not to support a bill that would limit their ability to create jobs in this struggling economy.
The groups speaking out against the legislation today include the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, The Latino Coalition, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
National Black Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Harry Alford penned an opinion piece in Roll Call yesterday explaining why minority-led businesses are opposed to the legislation.
“The Employee Free Choice Act would eliminate one of the most fundamental tenets of our democracy: the secret ballot. By eliminating the right to vote in private, workers would not only be deprived of the right to vote their conscience, but would also be more vulnerable to the intimidation and coercion tactics known to be used by union organizers. …
“Less publicized but equally concerning to the African-American community is that EFCA would allow government arbitrators to dictate labor contracts if unions and employers cannot reach their own agreement within a 120-day period. Currently, only 2 percent of minority-owned businesses are unionized. The passage of EFCA will further reduce the rights of an overwhelming majority of African-American employers by introducing government arbitrators with final decision-making authority into the collective bargaining process.
“This critical issue is one reason why the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers has joined NBCC in the fight against EFCA. This legislation would drive many hotels out of business, eliminate jobs and ultimately be the end of black hotel ownership. …
“Every worker deserves the right to vote their conscience and vote in private. Most importantly, all employees deserve an equal opportunity to work, prosper and benefit from government contracts. All of these rights are threatened by the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act and by a misguided executive order on Project Labor Agreements.
“We believe that enacting EFCA and other pro-union legislation will have a very negative impact on the African-American business community, on African-American employment, and as a result, on our economy as a whole. At a time when we should be focused on greater opportunities and more jobs, voting for EFCA is the wrong choice for the African-American community.”
Alford, “EFCA Will Hurt Black-Owned Business Growth,” Roll Call, 04.20.09
In a statement issued today, Alford put it simply: “We are meeting with lawmakers today to make sure they understand that EFCA will hurt our workers and our ability to grow and create jobs.”
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