Senate Halts Consideration of Employee Free Choice Act!
Employees Maintain Right to Secret Ballot Elections
June 26, 2007
Contact: Paul Williams, 703/894-1805, ext. 242 or [email protected]
In a vote that largely followed party lines, Senators in support of the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) were denied the necessary 60 votes on a cloture motion (to end debate and have an up or down vote) that would have enabled the Senate to consider, and likely pass the bill. The vote was 51 to 48.
“We are extremely thankful to all ALFA Members, ALFA State Affiliates, assisted living providers, assisted living professionals, family members, and residents who took the time to contact their Senators to voice their opposition to this legislation that would have denied workers the right to a secret ballot when deciding if they wish to be represented by a union,” said ALFA President & CEO Richard P. Grimes. “As the so-called Employee Free Choice Act continues to be the top priority for organized labor, we must ensure our voices are heard. On behalf of our members and senior living nationwide, ALFA will continue to oppose any measure that will increase the likelihood that our employees will not have the opportunity to a secret ballot when deciding if they want union representation, he added.
ALFA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other leading national trade and business organizations formed the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act. ALFA participated in numerous visits with members of Congress and received support from ALFA Members, and other industry providers and supporters who wrote letters, made phone calls, and participated in other grassroots advocacy initiatives that prevented H.R. 800 from reaching the President’s desk.
ALFA will post the complete cloture vote results on the ALFA Web site as soon as they are available.
