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US Senator Orrin Hatch
September 23rd, 2008   Media Contact(s): Mark Eddington or Heather Barney, 202-224-5251
Printable Version
HATCH: EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT WILL LEAD TO FORCED UNIONIZATION
 
WASHINGTON – Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today joined Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and business leaders to warn about pending legislation that would strip 140 million American workers of their right to secret-ballot elections.

Speaking about the Employee Free Choice Act, Hatch called the Democratic bill a vehicle to put American workers on the road to forced unionization. Utahn Scott Parson, president and CEO of Ogden-based Staker-Parson Companies, also spoke against the legislation.

The bill would replace the secret ballot with a Card Check, which empowers unions to organize workers by getting a simple majority of employees sign a card. It opens the door to intimidation or coercion of employees who do not want to unionize, the senators said.

“This a power grab by the Democrats and labor unions to unionize American workers against their will,” Hatch said. “These union organizers will keep coming back until you sign the card. Some people just sign the card to get rid of them.”

Even worse, Hatch added, the bill would empower federal government-appointed arbitrators to set wages, pension and health care benefits, work hours and other terms if, after only 90 days of bargaining, management and the union could not agree on terms of a contract. The arbitrator would have unchecked power to impose a two-year binding contract, one that would not even allow the employees to ratify it or approve its terms.

“This is one of the most heinous pieces of legislation in history,” Hatch said, adding the nation’s business owners and workers do not need federal arbitrators making their decisions for them.












 
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September 2008 News Items
Radio Clip icon Radio Clip | Television Clip icon Television Clip
29th  Congress Clears National Guard Land Transfer in Utah
29th  Senate Adopts Hatch Legislation to Combat Breast Cancer
27th  Senate Passes Continuing Resolution Sans Oil Shale Moratorium
27th  Bill Named After Utahn Shawn Bentley Clears Senate
27th  Hatch Secures Over $50 million for Utah Organizations in the Defense Appropriations Bill
26th  Hatch-Championed Combating Child Exploitation Act Passes Senate
26th  Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Legislation Passes Senate
26th  Senate Adopts Hatch's Religious Workers Bill
26th  Senate Confirms Waddoups to the U.S. District Court in Utah
25th  Hatch Health Care Centers Legislation Clears Congress
25th  Delta-Northwest Merger Good for the Economy, Hatch says
25th  Music and Issues Top 2008 Conference for Women
24th  Hatch Addresses Causes of Faltering Financial Markets [ listen to Radio Clip ]
23rd  Tax Extender Bill With Hatch Provisions Clears Senate
23rd - current News Item 
23rd  Senator Hatch Lauds Passage of Adoption Bill
17th  Hatch, Harkin ADA Amendments Act Passes House
16th  Congress Approves Hatch Bill to Fight Cyber Crime
12th  Hatch Introduces National Service Bill at Service Nation Summit
12th  Resolution for Park City Open Space Clears Senate Energy Committee
12th  Hatch, Kennedy Bill Renews Call for National Service
11th  Several Members of Utah Delegation Laud Pickens
11th  Hatch, Harkin Measure Fulfilling Promise of Americans With Disabilities Act Passes Senate
11th  Judiciary Committee Reports Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Legislation
10th  Hatch, Baucus Legislation Protects U.S. Intellecual Property, American Jobs
10th  Hatch Disappointed by Decision to End Air Tanker Competition
10th  Hatch's Elder Justice Act Unanimously Passes Senate Finance Committee
  9th  Senate Passes Hatch Resolution to Promote Awareness of Kidney Disease
  4th  Hatch: BLM Sets Environmental Rules for Oil Shale Development
 
 

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