Arkansas Labor leader talks card check on Labor Day

Alan Hughes, the head of the Arkansas chapter of the AFL-CIO, says he is not ending his effort to convince the six members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation to support the Employee Free Choice Act — aka “Card Check.”

Hughes, speaking to Roby Brock at TalkBusiness.net, said U.S. Reps. Marion Berry, D-Gillett; Mike Ross, D-Prescott; and Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, may potentially be supportive of card check. (Link here to a card check summary from The City Wire.)

“He [Ross] said, ‘Alan, I’ve been with y’all on labor issues and I’m going to continue to try to be with labor,’” according to Hughes.

“He [Ross] didn’t say he was opposed to us [on card check].  He didn’t say he was against us,” Hughes contends. “He wants to see what’s coming out because he knows there’s going to be some changes,” which mirrors the Congressman’s clarified position.



Hughes also said Berry and Snyder, who have also supported the Employee Free Choice Act in the past, are taking a cautious approach to the issue this time and are uncommitted on sponsoring the legislation like Ross.

For his part, Hughes said he supports a public option on health care because he believes it will lower the costs of private health insurance and he wants to see pre-existing conditions eliminated as a condition for health insurance coverage. But card check remains the top legislative priority for both labor and Hughes.

Link here for the full report from TalkBusiness.net.