News Room

FMI Statement on Introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act

March 11, 2009
ARLINGTON, VA — March 11, 2009 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) issued the following statement from Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO, following the introduction today of the Employee Free Choice Act in the House and Senate (H.R. 1409, S. 560). The measure would enable workers at a company to form a union if a majority signs a card, eliminating the right to vote by private ballot.

“Legislators who support the Employee Free Choice Act will detrimentally harm the most basic tenet of democracies such as ours — the right to a secret ballot — and will inflict further damage on the nation’s struggling economy. This bill would increase burdens and costs on job creators, invite intimidation and coercion into the workplace, devastate small businesses and result in the loss of millions of jobs.”

“America’s highest priority is job retention and the survival and growth of our small businesses, which create the most jobs in our country.”

Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org

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