Senator John Kerry writes an op-ed this weekend in The Herald News on the Employee Free Choice Act; legislation he has strongly supported since 2007. He begins his opinion piece with a strong defense of unions and their value to the US economy, while adding in a full frontal assault on the Big Business interests that are actively trying to
prevent American workers from having rights and prosperity.
Kerry goes on to write extensively on why the Employee Free Choice Act is not something small businesses should be worried about, an argument Big Business has pushed hard in this fight."Workers in unions earn 30 percent higher wages on average, and are 60 percent more likely to have employer-covered health insurance. The question is what we will do to empower workers in this new century -- and it should begin with The Employee Free Choice Act's common sense, fundamentally fair mission of making it easier for men and women to join a union in their workplace.[...] "Powerful, entrenched opponents of the legislation have made a variety of false statements, arguing that the bill will take away workers' right to a secret ballot election, expose workers to intimidation and harassment or hurt the economy. These arguments are untrue and especially dubious because they have no reliable data to back them up. Too often, these objections come from the same people and groups that have enriched and protected Wall Street over Main Street -- among them those who opposed ideas like minimum wage increases and family medical leave, which history has proven are mainstream, commonsense policies."
Kerry details three key reasons small businesses should not be concerned about the legislation:
- Prior to the 1970s, when American workers lost much of their bargaining power, our labor laws protected workers' free choice to join unions--and small businesses thrived.
America built the strongest middle class in the world, and analysis of previous economic recoveries since World War II show that our nation's economy and overall productivity grew when American workers had an ability to share in the prosperity of our country and their companies.
- Small businesses will see no changes under this legislation and current labor laws.
Small businesses employing an estimated four million American workers would still be exempt and completely unaffected.
- The growth of unions has helped the economy (and businesses, both large and small) dramatically in the past.
Giving employees a voice in the workplace to speak up for changes helps reduce costs associated with turnover because it gives incentive to the employees to cooperate and work with their employer to make the workplace more efficient and flexible. Employment security fuels collaboration and information sharing, leading to higher productivity.
Kerry continues:
"In an ironic twist, the actual threat to small businesses may come from the groups fighting the Employee Free Choice Act most vigorously -- the big corporations whose very business strategies have consistently hurt small businesses across the country by squeezing small businesses out of the marketplace."
There you have it - a solid, forceful defense of the Employee Free Choice Act from the perspective of small businesses.
Read Kerry's entire op-ed piece here.
