POSITION:
The Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association opposes the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)
BACKGROUND:
10/19/09 - Healthcare legislation continues to occupy much of Congress' current legislative schedule.
Last month, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) signed onto a letter with 3,700 other business associations and organizations, sending it to Congress. While backing improvements to the nation's healthcare system, AH&LA and the others are opposed to the creation of a new government-run insurance plan, and a proposed mandate that employers provide health insurance to all employees or face fines. AH&LA called on Congress to enact reforms to improve the health system without jeopardizing those who currently have insurance or their jobs.
Despite aggressive town hall-style efforts by organized labor to reinvigorate their legislative priority, support for moving the job-killing EFCA in the Senate continues to lose steam.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told a crowd at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce on August 26 that the “Senate has too many priorities on its agenda to handle 'card check' legislation anytime soon.”
But while labor leaders have acknowledged that card check will have to wait until after the healthcare debate is completed, they have not relented. Organized labor has not forgotten their top priority this session. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka told reporters that he is “pledged to keep lawmakers accountable to pass the 'card check' bill.”
PTLA continues to work on this critical issue with AH&LA. On July 29, 2009, William Kohl, President, Harrisburg Hotel Corporation, and I traveled to Washington D.C and discussed this issue with Senator Arlen Specter and members of his legislative staff.
3/18/09 - Last week, the versions of the “Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA) introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 560) and the U.S. House (H.R. 1409).
Despite Democratic gains in both the House and Senate, the number of co-sponsors in both houses fell from 47 to 40 in the Senate and from 234 to 224. This is a positive sign that our lobbying effort over the past two years has been effective.
Pennsylvania's junior senator, Senator Robert Casey, is a sponsor of S. 560. No co-sponsors are Republican, including Pennsylvania's senior Senator, Arlen Specter. Overall, 18 Democratic Senators did not sign on as co-sponsors of the Senate bill.
All of Pennsylvania's Democrat Congressmen, except Congressman Chris Carney (D-10), are co-sponsors of H.R. 1409. No Pennsylvania Republican House members are co-sponsors.
Backers of the legislation are counting on Democrat Al Franken being declared the winner of the Minnesota Senate race before the end of the spring recess so the Senate, which will consider the bill before the House does, could bring it up in May or June.
The language in the bill is the same as the version that passed the House in 2007, but stalled in the Senate eight votes shy of the necessary 60. Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter voted in favor of advancing the bill. Senator Specter was the only Republican senator who supported the card check legislation.
PTLA is working with the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, Greater Pittsburgh Hotel Association, and other state and national business organizations to lobby against “card check” legislation.
ACTION:
PTLA strongly urges you to contact your U.S. Representative and Senators Casey and Specter immediately and urge them to vote against the “Employee Free Choice Act” in every instance when it comes up for a vote. This legislation will only stop job creation and injure your business's growth.
A sample letter and list of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation are posted on the PTLA website, at <http://www.patourism.org/gov>.
