Senator Mark Warner’s Response To Loudoun County Chamber President Tony Howard

Dear Mr. Howard,

Thank you for contacting me. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is an important bill which is expected to be considered in the 111th Congress.

I believe there is a need for reform in this area, and that EFCA should be debated and voted upon by the Senate. I intend to evaluate any prevailing proposal to ensure that it allows workers and employers to be adequately informed and that it ultimately provides a fair and level playing field to both management and labor.

I intend to work with the labor and business communities on this issue to find ways to reach an appropriate balance and achieve the goal of ensuring that America and its workforce remain competitive in the global economy. Again, thank you for writing. As we move forward in the 111th Congress, please continue to be in touch with your opinions and concerns.

MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator


Loudoun County Chamber’s Letter To Senators Jim Webb And Mark Warner Asking Them To Oppose The “Employee Free Choice Act”

Dear Senator Webb/Warner:

Please protect the ability of American workers to choose whether or not to unionize through federally-supervised secret ballot elections. I urge you to oppose the flawed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and not cosponsor this legislation. The bill consists of three provisions, each of which is unacceptable:

• Elimination of the Secret Ballot: Trading the secret ballot process for one that invites intimidation and coercion and leads to widespread disenfranchisement of workers is not a step in the right direction.

• Writing contracts through government imposed arbitration: Forced arbitration would impose unreasonable and inflexible terms and cause an employer to lose control over their operations, preventing them from growing their business.

• Unreasonable and one-sided penalty expansion: EFCA imposes dramatic new penalties on employers for violations of the National Labor Relations Act, but not a single new penalty on unions or labor organizers.

EFCA would have a particularly devastating impact on small employers who, as the primary source for new jobs, are counted on to reverse the current economic downturn. This bill is an awful idea in good economic times and a catastrophic idea in the difficult economic times now upon us. Do not support or cosponsor the Employee Free Choice Act.

Tony Howard
President, Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce