Education & Workforce Development
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Labor & Workplace Issues
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Labor & Workplace Issues
NC Chamber’s Position: The North Carolina Chamber will oppose new laws affecting labor and workplace policies that increase the cost-of-doing business and threaten jobs, particularly during this time of economic uncertainty and unprecedented job loss. Our state Chamber will work to prevent proposals that would do irreparable harm to North Carolina’s business climate.
2011 Legislative Efforts
| BILL SUMMARY |
PRO-BIZ or NO-BIZ |
OUTCOME |
Prevented Costly Sick Leave Mandate (H223/S558)
Prevented legislation that would have mandated NC employers provide paid sick leave for all employees, regardless of existing benefits, resulting in increased costs for businesses during economic uncertainty. |
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FAILED |
Blocked Expansion of Unions Into Government (S386)
Prevented unions’ attempt to repeal NC’s longstanding prohibition of collective bargaining for state and local government employees. Binding collective bargaining contracts for unionized public sector employees drives up the cost of government and makes it less efficient. |
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FAILED |
Protected NC Employers with E-Verify (H36)
Supported legislation that brings NC in alignment with surrounding states on required use of federal E-Verify database, and ensured adequate protection for NC employers who use E-Verify. |
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PASSED |
Ensured Workplace Safety in Gun Law (H650)
Protected workplace safety concerns in debate over amendments to state’s gun safety rules by successfully removing the provision forcing businesses to allow concealed carry permit holders to store firearms in a locked vehicle in an employer’s parking area. |
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PASSED |
Many states across the nation are considering changing their laws back to right-to-work status (which is currently North Carolina’s status) and repealing collective bargaining contracts with public employees (like Wisconsin’s recent legislative action). Read about recent protests held by unions in North Carolina. Efforts to repeal North Carolina’s long-held ban on public employee collective bargaining is unlikely to pass this session.
Pending Federal Action on Labor
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Business Resources |
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Unions’ Card Check Bill: While it seems the “Employee Free Choice Act” appears to be dead in Congress in 2011, unions are working to advance the intent of the act through National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions and regulatory actions. Secret ballots to select union representation in the workplace are at stake – a right that should be guaranteed for employees! Instead of secret-ballot elections, unions favor a "card check" system conducted out in the open, which exposes employees to public pressure from union leaders and their allies, on and off the job! The Chamber will continue to keep you updated on any federal actions related to card check, even via the NLRB. See the Chamber’s card check resource page for more on the issue.
2010 Wins
· Blocked Union-Backed Collective Bargaining Mandate: A revised collective bargaining mandate bill that would have forced all states and local government to allow certain government employees to collectively bargain, superseding North Carolina’s current law, failed the cloture motion in the U.S. Senate. The North Carolina Chamber and its Federation members consistently fought off this measure throughout 2010, and we were successful in the last effort with both of North Carolina’s U.S. Senators voting “no.” It was Chamber members’ active participation, who signed onto a coalition letter and expressed opposition to our senators, which helped prevent this unfunded mandate on our state that was being pushed by public-sector unions.
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