ALEC & Jobs

ALEC’s Legislative Agenda on Jobs

On American Legislative Exchange Council task forces, corporate lobbyists and special interests vote as equals with elected representatives on templates to change our laws, behind closed doors with no press or public allowed to see the votes or deliberations. ALEC’s so-called “jobs” legislation includes proposals that would lower wages, eliminate employee rights, and ship American jobs overseas.

Lowering Wages

• ALEC’s "Resolution in Opposition to any Increase in the Starting (Minimum) Wage" opposes efforts to raise the minimum wage.
• ALEC’s "Living Wage Mandate Preemption Act" allows states to prevent its cities and counties from setting minimum wages that exceed those required under state or federal law.
• ALEC’s "Right to Work Act" is an attack on working families across the country. Wages are 3.2 percent ($1,500) lower in so-called "right to work" states than in free bargaining states.

Taking Away Employee Rights

• ALEC’s "At-Will Employment Act" narrows and eliminates key rights and protections of workers, allowing an employer to terminate a worker at any time for any reason or no reason at all. The act also restricts workers’ rights to sue.
• ALEC’s "Public Employees' Portable Retirement Option (PRO) Act" is a move towards eliminating defined benefit pension plans for public employees, which protects retirees.
• ALEC’s "Workers' Compensation Medical Records Disclosure Act" allows employers access to a worker’s psychiatric or other records without the consent of the worker.
• ALEC’s "Resolution Opposing Employer-Paid Health Care Mandates" opposes efforts by state legislatures to mandate that private employers buy health insurance for workers.
• The "Employee Rights Reform Act" is designed to make it more difficult for unions to collect fees due for collective bargaining, administering contracts, and aiding in employee grievances processes from employees who would free ride on others' dues.

Shipping Jobs Overseas

• ALEC bills in support of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, US-Korea Free Trade Agreement, and its "Resolution Urging the Obama Administration to Launch Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Taiwan" all advocate for an aggressive free trade agenda, which has resulted in millions of American jobs being outsourced oversees.