Larry Kissell Sells out North Carolina Workers at the Price of $378,000

In Massive Payback to Union Bosses, North Carolina Democrat Co-Sponsors Worker Intimidation Bill that Denies Right to Secret Ballot

NRCC Press Release
March 11, 2009

Washington– Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC) signed his name on the dotted line yesterday by co-sponsoring the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) – better known as “card-check.” In doing so, the North Carolina Democrat signaled his support to strip workers of the right to a secret union ballot, a practice that leads to corruption and worker intimidation, not to mention its potential to kill jobs generated by small businesses. Kissell's support of card-check is further proof that he has put the special interests of Big Labor that funded his campaign ahead of the needs of struggling working class families he regrettably misrepresents in Congress.

“By co-sponsoring card-check, Larry Kissell has demonstrated his willingness to pay back union bosses at the expense of North Carolina workers and their fundamental rights to a secret ballot,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Despite all of his rhetoric about wanting to create jobs for middle-class Americans, Kissell is supporting this job-killing bill that threatens to make the workplace a site for corruption and coercion. Now, with unemployment continuing to climb, it’s time for Kissell to explain why he has embraced the needs of the special interests that filled his campaign coffers at the expense of his own constituents.”

In an editorial in the Sun-Sentinel, they explain how the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act” would have an adverse effect on the workplace:

“The deceptively-named "Employee Free Choice Act" would allow a union to claim certification if a simple majority of workers signs the card — thus dispensing with the secret vote.

“Doing so would open the door for a lot of coercion and intimidation, in the workplace, in homes. Theoretically, a union could gain certification without every employee, or management, knowing about it.” (Sun-Sentinel, 03/01/09)

Dr. Anne Layne‐Farrar, an economist with the non‐partisan Law and Economics Consulting Group (LECG), recently announced a new study that shows 600,000 jobs would be lost in 2010 if card-check is signed into law:

“EFCA is unlikely to achieve its main goal of improving social welfare, which should take into account possible consequences not only for union members but for all individuals. In particular, my quantitative analysis indicates that passing EFCA would likely increase the US unemployment rate and decrease US job creation substantially.” (Layne-Farrar, “An Empirical Assessment of the Employee Free Choice Act: The Economic Implications,” March 2009)

Even billionaire investor and known supporter of President Obama, Warren Buffett, called card-check a mistake:

“I think the secret ballot’s pretty important in the country. I’m against card check to make a perfectly flat statement.” (CNBC’s Squawk Box, 3/9/09)

North Carolina families don’t have to wait for Larry Kissell to vote on the card-check bill, as he’s already exposed his willingness to strip away union workers’ democratic right to a secret ballot in union elections and put 600,000 jobs at risk nationwide.

(source: CQMoneyline, accessed 3/10/09)