Last year, an economic analysis estimated passage of the Democrats’ card check unionization scheme would destroy between 2.3 and 5.4 million American jobs, increasing the unemployment rate by between 1.5 and 3.5 percentage points. At a time when 15 million Americans are looking for work and the unemployment rate is stuck near 10 percent, it’s hard to imagine anyone would consider passing this kind of job-killing policy. Yet a recent report states the fight against card check is “not over.” 

"Congress pushed aside a piece of key labor legislation in mid-2009 to concentrate instead on health-insurance reform. But local and national leaders representing both unions and businesses said this week that the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make union organizing easier, is far from dead.

"United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday that the union plans to renew its fight for card-check legislation, a priority for the labor group as it continues to lose thousands of members. The union has 355,000 active members, down from a high of 1.5 million in 1979. Gettelfinger said the union, which recently organized 2,500 workers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, continues to look for members outside the auto industry.

"Danny Thompson, executive secretary and treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Nevada chapter, said the labor group is focusing mostly on the November elections and isn’t homing in on any specific issue right now. The AFL-CIO isn’t making the Employee Free Choice Act a hot topic during campaign season, but it’s one of several major concerns the group will revisit after November, Thompson said."

Despite the worst economic crisis in more than a generation, bipartisan opposition in Congress, and a skeptical American public, Big Labor is still demanding card check. The American people deserve policies that help create – not kill – jobs.

Card check bill fight not over

Resolve strong for backers, opponents

By JENNIFER ROBISON
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Jun. 17, 2010

Congress pushed aside a piece of key labor legislation in mid-2009 to concentrate instead on health-insurance reform.

But local and national leaders representing both unions and businesses said this week that the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make union organizing easier, is far from dead.

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday that the union plans to renew its fight for card-check legislation, a priority for the labor group as it continues to lose thousands of members. …

Nor have business groups relented in their opposition to the bill.

Just Wednesday, a statewide group called the Alliance to Protect Nevada Jobs launched to fight the Employee Free Choice Act and other bills its leaders consider job-killers.

The alliance has submitted questionnaires to all Nevada candidates for federal office, asking the hopefuls where they stand on the act. The alliance plans to use the results to let voters know where candidates stand on the bill.

“This issue is very much still alive and a critical one for Nevada’s economy, and its workers and small businesses,” said McKay Daniels, the alliance’s state director. “The national labor unions still keep it as one of their highest priorities, and a number of union leaders have said they’re looking for payback” for the hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign donations they funneled to candidates in the 2008 election.

[Click here for the rest of the article.]

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