Hospitality Asset Managers Association October 2, 2008

Card Check Union Membership on Decline Private Sector Union Density: 7.4% Overall Union Density: 12.0% Public Sector Union Density: 36.2%

Card Check Legislative Offensive “There’s no reason to subject the workers to an election.” --Bruce Raynor UNITE HERE --Bruce Raynor UNITE HERE

Card Check Legislative Offensive So-Called “Employee Free Choice Act” would undermine 1935 Labor Relations Act Three basic components  Private ballot elections in workplace replaced by public “card check”  Mandatory binding interest arbitration by government in labor contracts  Increased employer fines

Card Check Legislative Offensive Paid union organizers collect signatures NLRB reviews signed cards and schedules election NLRB conducts private- ballot elections NLRB counts ballots, majority rules Employer must recognize union as legal representative and bargain If majority vote for a union, then... Current Workplace Election Process Government-supervised process, stringent guidelines Employees freely vote their conscience in private If 50% +1 vote to form a union, it becomes workplace representative

Card Check Legislative Offensive Paid union organizers collect signatures NLRB reviews signed cards and schedules election NLRB conducts private- ballot elections NLRB counts ballots, majority rules Employer must recognize union as legal representative and submit If majority vote for a union, then... “Card Check” Scheme No private ballot election Organizers collect publically-signed cards from 50% +1 Union immediately recognized

Card Check Legislative Offensive If employer does not agree to union terms within 120 days of union recognition, a government-appointed interest arbitrator imposes a binding labor contract Workers cannot vote to approve contract

Card Check Union Arguments Top Three Union Arguments For Card Check “Private ballot elections take too long.” The average time for an election to be held is just 39 days. 94% of elections are held within 56 days. “Card check is the most effective way to determine the wishes of employees.” Federal courts have ruled private ballot elections are the most foolproof way to determine union support in a workplace. “EFCA still gives employees the choice of a private ballot.” The card check process gives union organizers the choice of whether to hold a private ballot election or use the results of a card check campaign to determine if a workplace becomes a union shop.

Card Check Private Ballot Protection AH&LA co-founded Coalition for a Democratic Workplace ( Over 500 members nationwide Defending workers’ rights

Card Check Private Ballot Protection MyPrivateBallot.com Latest News Press Releases Virtual March on Washington “Get Involved” Tool Kit: - Sample Letters to the Editor - Sample Letters to Congress - Fact Sheets/Talking Points - Polling Handout “Hypocrisy Corner” Testimonials Research Blog links Multimedia

Card Check Private Ballot Protection The sanctity of the private ballot as the cornerstone of workplace democracy Private ballot protects a workers’ fundamental rights from unions AND management Workers should have the ability to freely determine their workplace representation and conditions

Card Check Private Ballot Protection QUESTION: Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Secret ballot elections are the cornerstone of democracy and should be kept for union elections.”

Card Check Private Ballot Protection 89% of Americans believe having a federally supervised private ballot election is the best way to protect the individual rights to workers and that a worker’s vote on unionization should remain private 73% of Republicans and 70% of Democrats would be less likely to vote for a Member of Congress who voted in favor of taking away a worker’s right to a federally supervised private ballot election --McLaughlin & Associates Poll taken between January 28-31, 2007 in a poll of 1,000 likely voters with an oversample of union households of 120, bringing the number of union households in the poll to 400

Card Check First Defeat House approved March 1, 2007 Supporters expected votes 13 Republicans supported 2 Democrats opposed Blocked in Senate on filibuster June 26, 2007, (60 needed) 1 Republican supported No Democrats opposed

Card Check Private Ballot Protection Unions lost control of message fight Unions wanted debate about merits of joining a union - we made it a fight about privacy

Card Check Private Ballot Protection Television Ads - “Change”

Card Check Private Ballot Protection Television Ads - Minnesota

Card Check U.S. House of Representatives 32 Competitive Republican Seats 26 Competitive Democratic Seats

Card Check U.S. Senate Reps Defending 23 Seats, 18 Vulnerable Dems Defending 12 Seats, 2 Vulnerable

Card Check Private Ballot Protection AH&LA Educational Video (

Involvement What You Can Do How can you help? Educate colleagues and employees about card check Download lodging industry card check video from AH&LA Website Remember: Visit Donate to the AH&LA Legislative Readiness Fund Send to AH&LA or online at

Contact Information Marlene Colucci Executive Vice President, Public Policy (202)