RAISE Act Gives Union Workers Pay Increase
The following 19 undersigned groups and individuals sent the below letter to all members of the US House and Senate urging them to support S. 1184 and H.R. 273 the “Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act” (RAISE Act). Click here for more details on the bill from The Heritage Foundation.
Subject: The ‘‘Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act,” aka “RAISE Act”
Dear Senator and Representative:
The undersigned write to you on behalf of millions of American workers, whose livelihoods depend on free and open labor markets, to express our strong support for S. 1184 and H.R. 273, the “Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act” (RAISE Act), sponsored by Senator Vitter (R-LA) and Representative McClintock (R-CA). This crucial legislation amends the National Labor Relations Act to authorize employers to pay higher wages to their employees.
Current federal law caps the wages of over 8 million middle class workers due to Union contracts that establish both a wage floor and a wage ceiling. This means that businesses may only pay employees as much as the Union Contract allows. Hard-working American citizens are prohibited from receiving raises based on merit and instead Unions’ allowance of pay increases depends upon the length of membership. The RAISE Act corrects this injustice.
These seniority systems deter worker initiative and productivity since there are no incentives. Businesses with Union labor contracts have to bargain for an impasse in order to give individuals increase in wage, making raises based on merit obsolete. The RAISE Act eliminates the Union’s wage ceilings, giving the typical Union workers the chance to earn between $2,600 and $4,300 more annually, based on their own efforts. Ultimately these salary increases would generate billions of dollars of new value that would circulate back into the nation’s economy.
American workers are facing hard times and the RAISE Act will provide positive labor reform while stimulating the level of productivity. We thank you for your leadership on this issue and look forward to your continued efforts. To co-sponsor, please contact Levert, Andrew Levert in Sen. Vitter’s office at andrew_levert@vitter.senate.gov, and Kristen Glenn in Rep. McClintock’s office at Kristen.Glenn@mail.house.gov.
Sincerely,
American Shareholders Association
Americans for Tax Reform
Alliance for Worker Freedom
Center for Individual Freedom
Charles W. Baird Ph. D., Professor of Economics, Emeritus CSU East Bay
Coalition for a Fair Judiciary
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Diana Furchtgott-Roth
EFCAUpdate.org
GOProud
Hispanic Leadership Fund
Independence Institute
National Taxpayers Union
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Pioneer Institute
Reason Foundation
RightMarch.com
Yessin & Associates
Click here for a full PDF version of this letter with color logos.
Comments (6)
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The Game.
>> Leroy Jenkins June 10, 2009 10:11 pm
This is the kind of positive labor reform we need. DOWN WITH EFCA!!!!
>> Bill M. June 11, 2009 11:19 am
I'm about fed up with the Unions and all the dirty tricks they use to grab power at every turn. It's about time we see the kind of REAL REFORM being presented here. I only hope that the cronies in DC wise-up and start listening to the average working guy instead of the Hoffa'ites' that run Labor.
>> Jim PA June 11, 2009 11:41 am
I don't much about this, but I read on a union blog somewhere this was just really a tool for the bosses to punish us workers that support the union.
>> Blue Collar Dan June 11, 2009 11:52 am
Of course that is what the unions will tell you! With the RAISE Act, unions are pretty much not needed. The union leaders want to be needed.
>> unions are terrible June 11, 2009 11:54 am
The most recent comment was banned due to inappropriate language. Be nice, or be banned. Thank you.
>> AWF_Moderator June 15, 2009 15:14 am
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