Furniture producers, retailers share viewpoints with Congress
Seek policies to reinvigorate business, reduce unnecessary regulations
Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 19, 2009
 Representing the furniture industry on a mission to Washington are Ron Wanek, left, and Robert Forsythe, both of Ashley; Steve DeHaan, National Home Furnishings Assn.; Russell Batson, American Home Furnishings Alliance; AHFA Chairman Bruce Bradburn, The Bradburn Co.; Kevin Sauder, Sauder Woodworking; Stefanie Lucas, Rowe Fine Furniture; Keith Koenig, City Furniture, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Andy Counts, AHFA; and Ralph Scozzafava, Furniture Brands International. |
HIGH POINT — Furniture manufacturers and retailers joined forces in Washington last week to urge lawmakers to prioritize policies that will reinvigorate lending and consumer purchases, and to steer clear of new regulations that would increase costs or disrupt workplace relations.
Company and association executives visited the offices of 13 members of Congress.
Top on the group's agenda was urging the legislators to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act, better known as the "Card Check Bill." The bill would eliminate secret ballot voting by employees and instead require employers to recognize a union once a majority of their workers sign cards of support. Under current procedures, employees may cast their votes confidentially.
"In addition, this bill would change the role of government arbitrators from interpreting contracts to potentially writing the terms and conditions of contracts that would be binding on all parties for two years," said Bruce Bradburn, CEO of The Bradburn Co. and 2009 chairman of the American Home Furnishings Alliance. "Our objective was to make it clear to lawmakers that we oppose any proposals such as this that would hinder the rights of our employees, our ability to maintain jobs, and our industry's ability to maintain economic competitiveness."
Joining him in Washington were manufacturers Ron Wanek, chairman of Ashley Furniture Inds.; Ralph Scozzafava, chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International; Stefanie Lucas, CEO and president of Rowe Fine Furniture; Kevin Sauder, CEO and president of Sauder Woodworking; Wyatt Bassett, CEO and president of Vaughan-Bassett; Andy Counts, AHFA's CEO, and Russell Batson, AHFA's vice president of government affairs.
From the retail side, Keith Koenig, president of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based City Furniture, and Steve DeHaan, executive vice president of the National Home Furnishings Assn., also took part.
Earlier this month, John D. Bassett III, chairman of Vaughan-Bassett, led another AHFA delegation to Washington to discuss certain health care provisions within the economic stimulus bill with senators from North Carolina and Virginia. He was joined by Bradburn, along with Doug Bassett of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture and Jeb Bassett of Bassett Furniture Inds.
They urged lawmakers to oppose two costly provisions related to COBRA benefits. One would have required employers to offer COBRA coverage to terminated employees age 55 or older until they reach age 65 or until they obtain another job with comparable insurance. A second provision required the same extended coverage for terminated employees with 10 or more years of service.
"These provisions would place employers in the position of maintaining individuals in the insurance pool who are years removed from employment with the company, driving up insurance costs for current employees as well as for the employer," said Bradburn. Both provisions ultimately were removed from the final stimulus bill.
AHFA also arranged for more than a dozen North Carolina furniture industry executives to meet with newly elected Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) in High Point this week. Once again, the Card Check Bill was among the key issues discussed.
"There is no doubt the new senator is more sensitized to issues in the furniture industry, having had multiple meetings with top executives within the first 30 days of taking office," said Bradburn. "With Sen. Hagan, as well as with the other lawmakers we visited in February, we have set the stage for additional interaction."
He added that the lawmakers that AHFA executives visited expressed a desire to support efforts to keep the furniture industry strong. "And they appreciate the fact that our industry has a desire to assist them in developing public policy that is good for America," he said.
AHFA will continue its efforts on Capitol Hill May 12-13 when visits with key lawmakers will be part of the agenda for the association's midyear board of directors meeting in Washington.
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