KING GETS VOTE ON AMENDMENT TO PROTECT AMERICAN BUSINESS, JOBS
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Congressman Steve King today offered an amendment to protect employers and keep hard-working Americans from being intimidated into joining organized labor unions.
King offered his amendment to H.R. 800, a bill introduced by House Democrats which will take away a worker's right to decide privately to be represented by a union.
King's amendment would return balance to the National Labor Relations Act to protect both unions and workers, as it was intended. Under the amendment, unions would keep the right to organize employers by legitimate means, while employers would retain their right to choose who to hire. Although 164 of King's colleagues supported his amendment, it failed. H.R. 800 passed the full House. The bill now goes to the Senate and must be signed by the president to become law.
King's amendment would restore employers' right to hire only bona fide employees - those who seek legitimate employment. In addition, it would protect employers from being intimidated into handing their shops to organized unions. The amendment also protects legitimate workers from losing their jobs from frivolous lawsuits that jeopardize their employer's survival.
The amendment would put an end to "salting," the practice of union organizers seeking employment at non-union businesses with the sole purpose of organizing union chapters. Salts often bully employers into either unionizing their company or forcing them into expensive lawsuits, which can put them out of business and lose jobs.
"This bully-tactic is costing small business' time and productivity - or worse, putting them out of business altogether," said King. "We must allow business owners the right to decide if potential employees are there to help their business or to destroy it. Unions were established to protect employees so they could work- not to protect workers who don't want to work."
