Strengthening Our Capitol Hill Relations
TRSA continually forges new links with Congress so that more legislators recognize how our operations and those of our customers benefit the economy.
Nearly one third of TRSA’s budget is dedicated to monitoring, tracking, reporting, responding and proactively advocating regulatory and legislative initiatives. Among the latter are proposed environmental, labor, tax and energy policies that TRSA reviews for their likely impact on the industry and the nation’s economic health. TRSA then works with elected officials and their staffs or large coalitions to ensure the industry’s voice is heard in these matters.
Union Organizing Rules
Under current law, employers can prevent unions from organizing their workplaces unless a secret-ballot takes place. Rules governing these elections ensure neither side has unfair influence on their outcome. Various versions of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) submitted in recent years have attempted to change these rules to favor unions. EFCA has been temporarily stopped; most recently, a binding-arbitration measure was included in the Protecting America’s Workers Act, which gathered some steam in Congress but has slowed. Through Senate liaison TRSA helped sideline EFCA but remains wary of loopholes in current law that encourage unfair organizing practices.
Safe Chemicals Act
Under this Senate legislation every textile rental services plant could be considered a “processor” of chemicals simply because it uses detergent. TRSA opposes this because member companies would be required to provide their customer lists (with addresses) to EPA, eliminating business confidentiality of highly valuable proprietary information. This scenario could materialize as this bill and a House companion measure are folded into reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as a means of remedying EPA’s difficulties in obtaining information and imposing restrictions on chemicals. TSCA could become more prominent as legislators decide they need to be credited for accomplishments on environmental issues beyond EPA’s greenhouse gas rulemaking activity.
Reducing Entrepreneurs’ Taxes
TRSA maintains its ties with business interests who advocate for continued relief for taxpayers. We believe it is necessary to keep taxes reasonable for higher income brackets because small business owners need greater personal income to hire. This applies not only to entrepreneurs of smaller entities but anyone who relies on business profits for income, including partners in larger entities or professional services such as law firms and medical practices. All can foster job creation.
Keeping Members Informed
TRSA members are invited to join teleconferences with federal legislators to hear their perspectives on a number of issues of importance to the textile services industry. These have covered topics such achieving a permanent exemption for shop towels, card check legislation, Obamacare and the cap and trade bill. Members of Congress who have participated initially in the teleconference series have included five members of the House of Representatives and one Senator.
