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Where We Stand

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has several important policy priorities related to union-management relations laws and union financial disclosure. These priorities include ensuring that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) maintains the ability to issue balanced decisions, the method by which unions are recognized in the workplace, state and municipal attempts to encroach on the jurisdiction of the NLRB, and appropriate oversight of labor union finances.

We oppose a radical agenda in Congress to rewrite our nation's employment laws that would restrict flexibility in the workplace, expand liability and damages under federal employment related laws, add new criminal penalties under safety and health laws, eliminate arbitration, and mandate new paid leave requirements. Read the U.S. Chamber's Pro-Job, Pro-Growth, Labor Agenda.

What's Happening Now?

Unfortunately, labor realizes that their best chance for union organizing is through the NLRB, instead of the 112th Congress. That’s why, over the past year, the NLRB and the Department of Labor have issued a number of decisions and have proposed regulations stacking the deck in favor of Big Labor—and against America’s job creators.

The U.S. Chamber leading the fight to:

• Prevent the NLRB from conducting “ambush” union elections
This proposed “ambush” election rule would infringe on employers’ free speech and due process rights and ensure that employees only hear the union sales pitch. We’re urging members of Congress to support the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act. This bill would amend the National Labor Relations Act in order to prevent the Board from enacting its proposed "ambush" election rule. Send a letter to your members of Congress urging them to support this bill.

• Oppose the NLRB notification rule
The Chamber has filed a lawsuit against the NLRB challenging the board’s new rule requiring businesses to post notices explaining employees’ right to unionize. The rule violates federal labor and regulatory laws and the First Amendment, and the biased poster fails to include any mention of an employee’s right to vote out an unwanted union or refuse to pay a portion of union dues.

• Protect employee free choice in union elections
We have mobilized our national grassroots network in support of the Secret Ballot Protection Act, which would stop the unelected NLRB from bypassing Congress and enacting card check through administrative fiat.

• Oppose the NLRB’s complaint against Boeing
In a blatant show of union favoritism over American job creation, the NLRB is attempting to prevent The Boeing Company from locating a new aircraft production facility in South Carolina. The Chamber is fighting this complaint by urging lawmakers to support the Protect Jobs from Government Interference Act. This bill is the first step in reining in the excessive reach of unelected bureaucrats to ensure that our nation's job creators can make business decisions based on what's best for their operations and not worry about being undermined by the extreme measures of a pro-union agenda, at the expense of American jobs.

 

Union bosses have a bold and sweeping agenda that would drive away jobs and hurt America's competitiveness. Here are the major issues impacting you and America's small businesses.