FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2015

CONTACT: Ashley Pratt
202-677-7060

WFI Applauds Senate Vote To Stop “Ambush” Elections
Both U.S. House & Senate Undertaking Action; Obama Administration’s Veto Threat Demonstrates More Unquestioning Loyalty To Big Labor

Washington, D.C. (March 4, 2015) – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) today expressed its support for the U.S. Senate’s vote to stop President Obama’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from imposing “ambush” elections on Americans. This comes in the face of President Obama’s veto threat against this measure, demonstrating yet again that he chooses to stand with Big Labor bosses over workers and small businesses.

“The NLRB has overstepped their bounds time and again, and congressional action as a check on the executive branch is badly needed and entirely warranted,” said Fred Wszolek, spokesperson for the Workforce Fairness Institute. “It is disappointing, but hardly surprising, that President Obama announced his intention to veto a resolution overturning a harmful rule imposed by his labor board even before it came to a vote. During his tenure, the NLRB has systematically thrown their weight behind Big Labor, and the President apparently cannot resist an opportunity to pander to union bosses despite the negative impact it will have on both employees and employers. Due to the completely unrestrained actions on the part of the Obama Labor Board, we are happy to see the U.S. Senate acting to rein in administrative bureaucrats and their job-killing actions.”

The Workforce Fairness Institute is an organization committed to educating voters, employers, employees and citizens about issues affecting the workplace. To learn more, please visit: https://www.workforcefairness.com.

To schedule an interview with a Workforce Fairness Institute representative, please contact Ashley Pratt at (202) 677-7060.

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AZ Daily Sun--Coconino Voices: PRO Act legislation would hurt local businesses

— 05.13.2021 —
By: Julie Pastrik Arizona businesses and workers have had an incredibly challenging year given the economic slowdown that followed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. However, local businesses and industries across the state are resilient and on the road to a strong recovery that will mean more jobs for Arizona workers and increased economic development to strengthen our communities. That is, as long as Congress does not move forward with potentially devastating legislation that would hurt local employers and employees alike while impeding our state’s economic recovery. Unfortunately, some members of Congress seem determined to do just that by pushing through the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. As harmless as the name may sound, the PRO Act would have serious repercussions for local businesses, particularly smaller ones, while undermining long-standing rights for employees and threatening the growing gig economy that has helped provide much-needed income for so many during this time. Arizona is fortunate to have leaders like Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, who have both refrained from joining the vast majority of their Democratic colleagues in cosponsoring the PRO Act. In a slap in the face to Arizona workers, the PRO Act removes one of the most fundamental rights a worker has when it comes to voting in elections to determine whether to unionize: the secret ballot. Instead, workers could be forced to sign union authorization cards in front of other employees, their employer, or union organizers. This bill would also destroy workers’ right to privacy by allowing unions access to personal information, including their home address and personal phone number. If that doesn’t open the door to union intimidation and harassment, I don’t know what does. As if that was not bad enough, the PRO Act would create major new challenges for Arizona businesses, making it harder for them to create jobs, expand in their communities, and even keep their doors open. It would redefine what it means to be a “joint employer” under national labor law, greatly complicating existing relationships between franchisors and franchisees as well as between business owners, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors and suppliers. At the same time, it would interfere with attorney-client confidentiality and make it much more difficult for small businesses to secure a legal advice on labor issues. Particularly harmful during these times, the PRO Act would apply a failed policy from California to national labor law by using the “ABC” test to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee. This makes it much harder to qualify as an independent contractor, threatening the freedom and flexibility that tens of thousands of Arizonans find in independent contracting and gig economy work. Ultimately, the PRO Act is bad public policy that only works for union leaders to inflate their falling ranks while threatening workers’ rights, undermining small businesses, and jeopardizing a growing part of our economy. This is not a good solution for Arizona, and Senators Sinema and Kelly should stay firm and not cosponsor this misguided legislation.
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