Lake Norman Chamber Program to Examine Sweeping Labor Law Legislation and its Impact on Local Business

The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce will hear a presentation on labor law legislation currently pending before congress, specifically Senate Bill S560 the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the Card Check Bill.  The program will take place Friday, April 24th, from 8:00 – 9: 30 a.m. at the Lake Norman Chamber.  The Employee Free Choice Act has been introduced in both Houses of Congress.  According to information posted on the Lake Norman’s advocacy website (VoteLakeNorman.com) the bill includes provisions which would allow sweeping changes to North Carolina’s workforce: 

• 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.

The Lake Norman Chamber is opposed to both The Employee Free Choice Act and the potential unionization of public employees.  Mason G. Alexander, a partner with Fisher &Phillips, LLP Attorneys at Law will be on hand to discuss in more detail how this legislation, and other acts being introduced, will impact Labor Laws in North Carolina.  Also speaking is Davidson Mayor John Woods, who serves as First Vice President Area Executive for People’s Bank.  Mayor Woods will address how this legislation impacts both the public and private sector.

Mason G. Alexander

Bill Russell, President and CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce stated in a message to the Chamber members, “This could be the final straw that some companies may use to move their operations offshore to countries where unions are non-existent.  As we rebuild our struggling economy, we do not need to lose more jobs to international competition.  A major competitive advantage for North Carolina has been our status as a right to work state and low union activity.  If this bill passes, there will be a renewed emphasis by the AFL-CIO to change the face of our labor force in the Carolinas.”

While this program is intended for Lake Norman Chamber members, any business or interested individual is invited to attend.  This program is sponsored by Baker Human Resources Consultation.