ASBC Newsletter: March 2011
Dear Friends,
As businesspeople, we find the current situation in Wisconsin and around the country deeply troubling. The argument that budget deficits can or should be reduced by eliminating collective bargaining is misguided, unsustainable, and the wrong approach to solving deeper, more systemic economic issues. Nor do we accept that “restoring fiscal discipline” by laying off thousands of public sector workers signals that states are “open for business.” Instead, such moves appear politically motivated and are more likely to stall rather than stimulate an economic recovery. Now is a time for business and elected officials across the country to work together to craft investments and job creating programs that put people back to work.
As businesspeople, we are deeply skeptical of the claim that public sector employee unions are what caused the fiscal crisis of our states. We know that the 2008/2009 recession was largely the result of reckless financial shenanigans on Wall Street and lax oversight on the part of policymakers in both parties. Managing companies as we do, we know what it takes to create a vibrant economy – discipline, honesty, good strategy, and strong execution. We recognize that to get our nation’s fiscal house in order, we all need to share in the sacrifice and be part of the solution. We should focus on creating jobs, not weakening the middle class by attacking those fortunate enough to have good jobs.
As we run our companies, making hiring and investment decisions, we believe that America needs to build a 21st century economy that is competitive on a global stage. We know that high-quality schools, a strong health care system, family-supporting jobs, and solid middle class purchasing power are essential to such an economy.
While we are not union members ourselves and while we don’t always agree with unions’ contract demands, we support their right to make their case at the bargaining table.
There is too much work to do to restore our economy to waste our time fighting among ourselves.
Sincerely,
David Levine & Richard Eidlin
American Sustainable Business Council
www.asbcouncil.org
Headlines:
ASBC Meets With Labor Secretary Solis
Welcome to Three New Partners
New Business Supporters
Campaign Updates
Opportunities for Blog Contributors
Calendar and Announcements
Recent Media
ASBC Meets With Labor Secretary Solis
The American Sustainable Business Council brought a delegation of 15 on-site presenters and 20 phone participants representing partners, business supporters, and allies to meet with Secretary Solis and six members of her senior staff on February 9. The meeting was a part of Secretary Solis’s strategy to explore ideas that can benefit both unemployed workers as well as the business community, and ASBC’s priority was to share innovative and transformative ideas for creating a sustainable economy. The delegation focused on suggestions for how to overcome challenges facing businesses as well as opportunities that, if implemented, could employ American workers and transform the economy. The Department of Labor’s newsletter commented that, “the meeting was the first in what the Secretary hopes will be an ongoing discussion with the Council and its members to further explore opportunities for collaboration and to implement good ideas to help the economy.”
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