(Washington, D.C.)  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers today voted against H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, which eliminates employees’ right to a secret ballot when voting to join a union. This bill strips workers of their privacy and will harm small businesses in Eastern Washington whose employees may face coercion and intimidation to join a union.

“This bill sidesteps a free and fair election process and subjects hardworking Americans to coercion and intimidation,” said Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers. “At a time when Spokane is proud to report twice the national average in job growth in manufacturing, high tech, and construction, this bill heads us in the wrong direction. It also has the potential to impact access to health care in Eastern Washington. We have all heard the concerns about a growing nursing workforce shortage. The card check process for unionization further puts health care at risk and would discourage much needed health professionals from entering into the field.”

The health care industry in Eastern Washington has expressed serious concerns over this legislation believing it could prevent professionals from practicing. Professional employees in high demand fields such as nurses and lab technicians are currently difficult to recruit to rural areas. If subject to the pressure of a card check campaign, the employee may chose to work elsewhere.

Representatives from local hospitals such as Ferry County Hospital and Dayton General Hospital have said this bill would “increase costs” and is a “slap in the face for collaboration between management and employees.”

Numerous organizations throughout Eastern Washington are opposed to the “card-check” system including: Inland Pacific Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, the Eastern Washington Independent Electrical Contractors, and Greater Spokane Incorporated, which represents 1600 businesses and economic entities that employ over 110,000 individuals.