On Friday June 19, 35 Bloomington workers, activists, and elected officials gathered for an informational picket outside the local Chamber of Commerce offices. This action was a direct response to the local chamber's choice to send representatives to Washington DC and lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act.
On Friday June 19, 35 Bloomington workers, activists, and elected officials gathered for an informational picket outside the local Chamber of Commerce offices. This action was a direct response to the local chamber's choice to send representatives to Washington DC and lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act. Supporters heard from Jackie Yenna, President of the White River Central Labor Council, Councilwoman Isabelle Piedmont-Smith, Councilman Andy Ruff, Peter Kaczmarczyk, the spokesman for South Central Indiana Jobs with Justice, and Anne Novak, another member of the local Jobs with Justice chapter. After marching around the building, all 35 participants marched into the Chamber of Commerce office to deliver the following statement:
On behalf of the South Central Indiana Jobs with Justice, we call on the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce to withdraw their oppostition tot he Employee Free Choice Act.
The BCC claims that the EFCA would deny employees the right to a secret vote on union representation while allowing them only card check-off as a means to gain union representation. In fact, the EFCA allows both forms of gaining representation.
The BCC also says the EFCA would lead to the government imposing union contracts on employers. In fact, after winning representation, the union and the employer would have ample time to work out, without meidators or arbitrators, a contract both could agree to. Only if after such a period they cannot agree would there be mediation, which if unsuccessful, would be followed by compulsory arbitration. This would prevent the endless stalling that may employers engage in to wear unions down and avoid a contractual agreement.
We are disappointed that the BCC went to Washington to tell our senators to vote against the EFCA. This active and misinformed lobbying against the EFCA is working against the interests of Hoosier workers and Hoosier businesses. The EFCA levels the playing field and would an instrumental tool in the revitatlization of the Indiana economy. We hope the BCC will stop its campaign against the EFCA and withdraw their formal opposition.
-South Central Indiana Jobs with Justice