Friday, May 1, 2009

Ridiculous Propagada Against EFCA

Absolutely shameless. An unnamed company with an unspecified $50 million project. Give me a break. Looks like anti-union smears to me.

From the Eau Claire Leader Telegram (3/26/09)

Economic director: Bill stalls large local project

By Leader-Telegram staff

Proposed federal labor legislation has derailed a large Eau Claire County development, according to a local economic development official.

The project - for which no name or description was given - would have brought a $50 million investment to Eau Claire County in the next five years, along with creating up to 800 full-time jobs, Brian Doudna, executive director of the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp., said in a news release Wednesday evening. Construction was expected to begin this year. The first employees were to begin work in early 2010, with about 100 new jobs being created.
The project has been placed on hold indefinitely because of the Employee Free Choice Act, federal legislation that would require binding arbitration to resolve contract disputes and make it easier for workers to join unions. The bill has been introduced in the House and Senate.
The bill would require binding arbitration if management and a union cannot agree on a first contract. It also would allow a majority of employees at a company to organize by signing cards - a change from the current practice that allows employers to mandate secret-ballot elections - and boost penalties for retaliation against workers seeking to organize.


Doudna said if the bill is approved, the project will not occur - at least not in the U.S.
"While debating topics and issues are an important part of the U.S. political process, our ability to grow, retain and recruit jobs to our marketplace is now being impacted," he said.
"Proposed federal and state legislation, as shown by this company's decision, can impact location decisions and limit the private sector's ability to create quality jobs for Eau Claire area residents. This is especially disappointing given the condition of our current national, regional and local economies."


Doudna could not be reached for further comment Wednesday evening.
Bob McCoy, president of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, said the government essentially is stopping growth in the Chippewa Valley.

"I think it's one of those situations when the state starts trying to generate additional revenue or put certain criteria on business, it can reverse itself," he said. "There's a potential for the Employee Free Choice Act, and (businesses) can't afford those types of consequences.
"If we want to grow our economy, we can't continue to grow our government. If you start causing businesses to have more costs and expenses, they have to cut back."


The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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