Public Policy: Hot Topics

Take Action Against Card Check Legislation

With the elections over and a new administration and Congress in Washington, unions are poised to push an aggressive anti-jobs agenda early in the New Year. Top on Big Labor’s list is the “card check” bill, which is grossly misnamed the “Employee Free Choice Act” – even though it takes away employees’ right to make a private choice about representation in the workplace “free” from inappropriate pressure from either side. The card check bill would eliminate secret-ballot elections in the workplace and replace them with a union-preferred method of recruiting members where employees are asked to support or join unions in front of their co-workers, union officials and others.

Employee Free Choice Act legislation introduced in Congress.

• Link to House Bill: H.R. 1409
• Link to Senate Bill:S.560

Help protect North Carolina businesses and workers by calling Representative Shuler and Senator Hagan and telling them to vote against this legislation.

Learn more about the Card Check Legislations!

Asheville City Council Considers Living Wage Proposal

The Asheville City Council is currently considering a living wage proposal. This proposal would, if approved, make payment of a living wage a requirement for consideration of award in contracts with the City of Asheville. While such a requirement would not affect non-City contracts, we recognize that there may be other considerations involved—for instance, it might be difficult to implement selective salary increases and decreases.

Learn more about the Living Wage Proposals

Update March 9, 2009:

The Chamber recently conducted an anonymous "living wage" survey with our membership to provide input for a City of Asheville "Living Wage" Task Force. The survey was designed to help determine how current or potential contracts would be impacted by the living wage proposal up for consideration by the City Council in March; specifically, all services contracts (of any amount) and construction contracts amounting to less than $30,000.

See Chamber Survey Results

Chamber Makes I-26 Connector Recommendation

After extensive research, input and consideration of the four designs as presented in the 2008 NCDOT plans and three dimensional simulation models, the Board of Directors of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce recommends the selection of Alternative 3 for Section B in the NCDOT I-26 Connector project. Alternative 3 meets the requirements of the Chamber criteria concerning quality of life, economic prosperity, protection of the environment, safety of visitors and local citizens, and the beauty of the Asheville community.

Read Board Resolution (PDF)

Learn more about the Chamber I-26 Connector Recommendation!