NEWSROOM

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) March 24 <announced that he does not support the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), or “card check” legislation, and that he would vote against cloture, or to cut off debate on the bill. The Employee Free Choice Act was introduced March 10 by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) in the U.S. Senate and Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Card Check bill is opposed nationally by ABC as well as many other buisness associatons and groups.

In 2007, Senator Specter was the only Republican who voted in favor of cloture during the last EFCA vote in the Senate. Since then, Specter has been courted heavily by both organized labor in support of the bill and business opposing it. After weighing both sides, Senator Specter has reversed his position.

Under the card check process, employees would be forced to indicate their choice of whether to join a union by signing a card in front of their co-workers, employers, and union organizers. In addition, the bill would subject businesses to binding arbitration, where government appointed arbitrators would establish a two-year contract setting all work rules for that business without giving the company’s employees or owner the opportunity to approve or appeal the decision.

Jerry Gorksi, 2009 ABC National Chairman and president of Gorski Engineering, Inc., Collegeville, Pa., issued a statement following Specter’s announcement.

“ABC applauds Senator Specter’s decision to oppose the so-called Employee Free Choice Act,” Gorski said. “This is just another indication that the more people learn about this legislation, the less they like it.”

“As a Pennsylvanian, I’m pleased to see Senator Specter defending a worker’s fundamental American right to a secret-ballot election when deciding whether or not to join a union,” Gorski continued. “And I agree with the Senator that, during these difficult economic times, the last thing we need to do is add another burden on employers that would result in further job losses.”