NSWMA Opposes Proposed Legislation as an Assault on Worker Rights and Privacy

Date: February 6, 2007

Source: NSWMA

NSWMA Opposes Proposed Legislation Denying Workers the Right to Secret Ballot Elections in the Workplace

So-called "Employee Free Choice Act" is an assault on worker rights and privacy

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) opposes new legislation introduced yesterday in Congress that would strip away workers' right to a federally supervised secret ballot election when deciding whether or not to join a union, leaving workers far more vulnerable to coercion and intimidation during union organizing drives. The so-called "Employee Free Choice Act," introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), would replace secret ballot elections with a process called "card check" where a union is recognized in a workplace if a majority of workers sign a card in the presence of union organizers.

Under the card check process, the identity of workers who signed (or refused to sign) organizing cards would be made public to union organizers, workers' employer and co-workers, leaving workers vulnerable to threats and intimidation from union bosses, management, or both.

NSWMA President and CEO Bruce Parker said, "Secret ballot elections are a cornerstone of the democratic process. Workers deserve the right to make decisions free of any outside intimidation, whether from the union or management. NSWMA believes that the only way to guarantee worker protection is through the continued use of federally supervised secret ballot elections so that personal decisions about whether to join a union remain private."

Parker also points out, "Federal courts have repeatedly ruled that government supervised secret ballot elections are the fairest and most foolproof method to determine whether a union has the support of a majority of employees."

NSWMA is part of a coalition consisting of associations from a broad spectrum of diverse industries, representing hundreds of thousands of employees, which oppose the deceptively named "Employee Free Choice Act."

About NSWMA

NSWMA is the trade association representing private solid waste collection and disposal companies throughout North America.

For more information, contact:
Bruce Parker
NSWMA
202-364-3730
bparker@envasns.org.

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