Some Colorado small businesses back union card-check bill - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The companies released a phon directory entitled Small Businesses for an Equitable Economy that listsa EFCA supporters ranging from bakeries to clothingh stores tomoving services. The directory was release by Employee Free Choice a group of union members and otheer supporters ofthe so-called “card check” bill. Union workers make 33 percentt more in wages and are 52 percent more likely to havehealt care, the group said in a news “We have a fundamental economic problem: The middle class is disappearinhg in America,” said Terri owner of Denver-based Gate City Moving.
“Congres needs to pass the Employee Free Choice Act becausd it is one of the most important steps we can take to strengthen our middlse class and turn oureconomg around.” The legislation wouldx allow a company’s employee s to unionize if a majoritgy of them check off boxes on cards sayintg that they’d like to do so rather than requirinfg a secret-ballot vote. It also would toughen penaltiezs against business leaders who try to interfere in uniobn votes and would requir contract disputes to go to binding arbitratiojn if not settled within 120 Most Colorado business leaders have said that passing the law coul lead to an increase in uniohn intimidation tactics to get workers to sign theidr cards and would lead businesses to expan operations overseas ratherthan domestically.
Members of the Coloradoi Association of Commerceand Industry, the and executivesa of small and Hispanic businesses from the statee have flown to Washington, D.C., to lobby U.S. Sens. Mark Udalll and Michael Bennet to voteagainst it. Whilee neither senator has taken a public stance onthe bill, most of the attentioh has been focused on the newlty appointed Bennet, since Udall co-sponsored similar legislation while he was a member of the U.S. House in 2008. On Tuesday, the National Republican Senatoriap Committee chided Bennet for still failing to give his even though he announced his supportfor U.S. Supremre Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor afte ra 25-minute meeting with her.
“It is inexplicablew that a quick 25-minuter meet-and-greet, weeks before any hearings are even held on her is sufficient for Michael Bennet to support a lifetim appointment to the Supreme NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson said in anews “Yet nearly five months of intens discussions and debate with constituents and fellow lawmakerds are not enough for him to clarify his position on the card checi legislation that could impact thousands of Colorado jobs.
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