Passage of Anti-Business Law Jeopardizes Tennessee's Economic Future

Tennessee AFL-CIO President Billy Dycus issued the following statement after the Tennessee General Assembly passed House Bill 1342/Senate Bill 650, which impacts how workers choose to organize and the conditions that their employer must follow if they've received economic incentives from the state.

"With tonight's final vote solidifying the passage of Senate Bill 650, Tennessee lawmakers have effectively tied the hands of companies who may have been eyeing the Volunteer State while also jeopardizing millions of dollars in future investments. Not only is this anti-business legislation a bad deal for our economy, it’s also pre-empted by federal law and is in direct conflict with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Instead of solving the many serious issues facing Tennesseans, state leaders will now be forced to spend an immense amount of time and money defending yet another law that will keep wages low and lead countless companies to go elsewhere.  

Bottom line: discussions about worker representation should be left up to employers and employees without outside influence from politicians. The negative, unintended consequences of this legislation will have a lasting impact on our state, and the supermajority will have no one to blame but itself. By trying to micromanage private businesses, the Tennessee General Assembly has effectively bitten the hand that feeds it."