HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Washington, Mar 5, 2009 - House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today highlighted a new study by Dr. Anne Layne‐Farrar, an economist with the non‐partisan firm LECG Consulting, on the impact of the misnamed “Employee Free Choice Act.”  Championed by the Democratic Majority’s Big Labor allies, the legislation would abandon secret ballot union elections in the workplace and leave workers open to coercion and intimidation – from either union officials or company management – to sign or not sign a card expressing their desire to join a union.  The process is commonly called a “card check.” 

Layne-Farrar’s research found that if union ranks grew by 1.5 million in the first year after enactment of the “Employee Free Choice Act” as predicted by union leaders, 600,000 jobs would be lost the following year.  Boehner issued the following statement on the study:

“This study confirms that not only will card check take away workers’ right to a secret ballot, it may end up costing them their jobs – to the tune of 600,000 jobs lost in just one year.  American families are struggling to make ends meet during this recession.  Workers are growing more anxious each day as their costs of living rise and their savings evaporate.  They do not deserve to see their job security weaken any further as a result of legislation passed solely to pay back special interests that helped put Democrats in charge of Washington.  During difficult times like these, workers and their families need both parties to work together toward real solutions that get our economy moving again.  This anti-worker legislation serves no one’s interests other than the political forces intent on taking away the right to privacy in the workplace in order to expand union ranks and fill their coffers even further.”

NOTE: Earlier this week, President Obama promised a gathering of union leaders, “We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act.” 

#####