Message from CDW

CDW Members:

 

It has been a busy month since the last congressional recess, as the rumors of alternative versions of EFCA have percolated around Washington and CDW has worked to expose the so-called compromise proposals for what they really are; EFCA re-packaged.  

 

We will continue to oppose legislation that denies employees their right to privacy and exposes them to harrassment, intimidation, and coercion; as well as opposing alternatives that would threaten American entrepreneurism and competitiveness by imposing government-run, binding arbitration on our nation’s job creators.

 

RECESS TOOLKIT

CDW has rolled out a new recess toolkit, which can be found on our website here.  This toolkit contains sample LTEs and op eds, informational flyers, and sample print ads, along with helpful information regarding EFCA and proposed alternatives.

 

As always, we encourage all CDW members to use the recess work period to keep the heat turned up on your Representative and Senators.  If we keep the volume turned up on this issue at all times, Congress cannot “escape” this issue simply by leaving Washington for a week.

 

Remember, when you talk to your Senators and Represenative, the message remains “no EFCA, no cloture, no compromise.”

 

WASHINGTON POST OP ED

This week, CDW had a full op ed run in the Washington Post, where the Coalition had the opportunity to respond to the Post’s allegations that our “no compromise” position on EFCA was worth criticizing.  The CDW op ed is here, and you can read the Post’s editorial from May 11 here.

 

As our op ed notes, compromise for its own sake on a clearly misguided and onerous bill such as EFCA is no fault on our part.  CDW members should be proud to be called “absolutists” in our opposition to EFCA…………..there’s no vice in being absolutist about protecting employee privacy and opposing government mandated arbitration.

 

Also, this week, CDW’s Steering Committee had a productive meeting that included Senate Republican Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY).  Senator McConnell encouraged the Steering Committee members to keep the heat turned up on this issue so that we’re prepared to tackle whatever version of EFCA may be moved by Senator Harkin and the proponents of card-check.

 

And, here is a press statement from CDW denouncing the idea of “mail-in card check,” which was reported in a Wall Street Journal article as a possilbe alternative version of EFCA.

 

Finally, for those CDW members in Northern Virginia, Gov. Mitt Romney will be participating in a small business round table discussion on EFCA on Thursday, May 28, from 3:00-4:00 pm in Arlington, VA.   One member of that roundtable will be Brett Vassey with the VA Manufacturers Association, who also is the point person for CDW’s state operations in the commonwealth of Virginia.  If you’re interested in attending the rountable, contact Jason McBride at jason.mcbride@workforcefairness.org .

 

 

Thanks for the continued hard work and vigilance on this issue, and please keep in mind this Memorial Day weekend that we live in a country where we get to vigorously and openly debate issues such as EFCA because brave men and women and their families have sacrificed themselves on our behalf.  Have a great holiday weekend.

 

Thanks,

Brian