1,000 Business Leaders Speak Out in Support of Employee Free Choice

by Seth Michaels, Jun 4, 2009

Today, the chorus of voices in support of the Employee Free Choice Act is joined by business leaders who know that workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain is good for them, too.

The new coalition, Business Leaders for a Fair Economy, includes entrepreneurs, employers and leaders of businesses large and small who agree that a strong economy is compatible with the protection of workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain. Indeed, these business leaders agree, workers able to bargain for benefits, wages and economic security are the foundation of an economy that works in the long term.

The coalition has released a new ad that will run in newspapers, like The Wall Street Journal, The Hill and Politico, aimed at the business community and political leaders.

Roger Smith, the president and CEO of American Income Life Insurance Co. and the chairman of the coalition’s advisory committee, says that giving more workers the freedom to form unions and bargain won’t undermine the economy—indeed, we can’t build purchasing power and create stable prosperity without it:

I believe that in these tough economic times, we need solutions that protect workers and support long-term growth and sustainability for American businesses. It does not have to be an either/or scenario. I personally can attest you can be a responsible employer that respects workers’ rights and have a thriving, profitable business accountable to its stakeholders.

Diana Ortiz, owner of Colorado-based Ortiz Enterprises LLC, is an award-winning small business owner who says workers need bargaining power to sustain businesses like hers:

As a business owner, I believe that workers should have the freedom to bargain with employers for good wages, health care and the opportunity to retire with dignity. Better wages mean that the whole community has more money to spend and to build our economy.

Smith says we need to rebuild the middle class if we’re going to make the economy work again, and the best way to do that is by giving workers the tools they need to bargain for a better life:

Historically, giving workers access to unions and negotiating with them in good faith to reach fair collective bargaining agreements has resulted in a dynamic workforce with shared prosperity. It is imperative for the future of American enterprise that business leaders support policies that create a robust middle class. The Employee Free Choice Act is good for the middle class, and what’s good for the middle class is ultimately good for our bottom line.

These business leaders join a broad coalition—ranging from economists to religious groups and environmental activists—who all agree that restoring workers’ freedom to form a union and bargain is critical to long-term economic strength.

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