The Workforce Freedom Airlift took flight today. In one of the largest grassroots mobilizations the Chamber has ever undertaken, the Workforce Freedom Initiative brought more than 160 business leaders from Louisiana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Virginia to Capitol Hill today to meet with Senators and Representatives in a lobbying blitz to defeat the misnamed-Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). This highly-controversial bill would effectively strip employees of a private ballot in union organizing drives, remove incentives to negotiate collective bargaining agreements in good faith, potentially hand the power to dictate workplace conditions, pay and benefits to a federal arbitrator and force unfair mandates on small business.  And all of that is before it takes a kick at an already down economy.

Members and representatives from 15 state and local Chambers converged on Washington to express strong opposition to EFCA to their elected officials. The Airlift participants met for a breakfast briefing this morning at the Chamber headquarters, which was kicked off with strong words of encouragement from Chamber President Tom Donohue and Senator John Thune of South Dakota. They were also briefed by Steven Law, Randy Johnson and Rolf Lundberg on the card check bill and interacting with Congressional members and staff. Our volunteers came with a simple message to their Senators and Representatives: the Card Check bill is bad for their state’s workers and businesses, and could cripple their state’s economy. They brought their own life experiences and explained to members of Congress how this bill would seriously impact their businesses and communities.

The timing could not have been any better. While our Airlift volunteers were swarming over Capital Hill, the EFCA bill was introduced in both houses of Congress. These business leaders and Chamber members were on the spot, on time and on target. Several were also interviewed by the press about their participation in the Airlift.

Different state delegations and local Chamber groups came together at lunchtime to share their experiences with each other before going back to Capital Hill this afternoon. At lunch, one small business owner called the editor of her hometown newspaper, provided a story of her participation in the Airlift and handed her cell phone to Steven Law for an impromptu interview.

Today’s Workforce Freedom Airlift is the first in a series of events to continue to voice the business community’s grave concern over this bill. The next Airlift, taking place on March 31st & April 1st, will have volunteers from six Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina and North Dakota. Many thanks to everyone involved in making today’s Airlift a success. If you can't come to D.C. in person, join the Virtual March today to Save the Secret Ballot.