AFS, in an effort to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), is urging its members to take action and write to their lawmakers in opposition to this legislation.

The card check bill would eliminate over 70 years of precedent established under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 by taking away employees’ freedom to choose under a federally supervised, secret ballot election when deciding whether or not to join a union.  It would replace the private, secret ballot election with a system called “card check” which allows a union to organize if a majority of employees simply sign an authorization card.  Under this system, the employees’ signatures are made public to the employer, the union organizers and co-workers.

A poll showed that 74 percent of voters oppose EFCA, and that even a majority of union households oppose it.  In addition, a poll by The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) shows that 73 percent of Obama voters oppose EFCA, and that more than 80 percent of Obama voters believe secret ballot elections are the best way to protect the individual rights of workers.

While no card check legislation has been officially introduced in either the House or Senate, Rep. Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education & Labor Committee, has been soliciting cosponsors. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said he hopes the Senate will debate a card check bill in either May or June of this year.

With the unions out in full force on this issue, AFS is requesting that its members fax or email letters opposing the EFCA to the House and Senate staff. If you do not have contact information for representatives in either of these offices, visit www.congress.org or download the sample letters at the bottom of this webpage. For more information, contact Alicia Oman, AFS Washington Office, at 202/842-4864 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Card Check Letter to the House of Representatives
Card Check Letter to the Senate