STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1100-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.C.R. No. 195

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 195 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT AND URGING CONGRESS TO PASS THIS MEASURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to support the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1925 and H.R. 3619) which would:

(1) Authorize the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as the bargaining representative when a majority of employees voluntarily sign authorizations designating that union as their representative;

(2) Provide for first contract mediation and arbitration; and

(3) Establish meaningful penalties for violations of a worker's freedom to choose a union.

The Hawaii State AFL-CIO and Laborers' International Union of North America Local 368 submitted testimony in support of the concurrent resolution. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations offered comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that when the right of workers to form a union is violated, wages fall, race and gender pay gaps widen, workplace discrimination increases, and job safety standards disappear. The Employee Free Choice Act provides an alternative method for certifying a union, and additional penalties for interfering with a workers' choice. Thus, your Committee believes that the Employer Free Choice Act will lend more protection for workers and lead to better working conditions.

Lastly, it is noteworthy to mention that the Employee Free Choice Act has been referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations in the United States House of Representatives, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the United States Senate.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 195 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Public Employment,

		____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair