Ehrlich on Washington column, May 5, 1996

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of May 5, 1996 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. BIG LABOR BOSSES ARE AT IT AGAIN Well, national AFL-CIO boss John Sweeney and his cohorts are at it again. They have launched two new campaigns intended to mislead the working families of the Second Congressional District. Using dues paid by rank-and-file members, they hired a slick, Washington-based public relations firm to produce mail and radio ads whose purpose is not to “educate”— as the federation claims— but rather to misinform and terrorize seniors and working families. The first campaign consists of a “congressional report card” sent to union households. The report card purports to “grade” me on some of my votes, such as those to save the Medicare program and balance the federal budget. In reality, it is a carefully phrased campaign document clearly intended to distort the truth. For example, the report card accuses me of supporting a bill (H. R. 743, also known as the TEAM Act) which “allows employers to control who represents employees in discussions about wages, hours, and other working conditions.” This statement is a lie. What the TEAM act really does is allow employers to start organizations in which labor and management can work together on issues that mutually concern both. These organizations will not have the authority to serve as the exclusive bargaining representative of employees. They will not be able to enter into collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, workplaces that are already unionized are specifically exempted under this bill. The AFL-CIO is also running a radio ad attacking my opposition to raising the minimum wage.