[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
[July 30, 1996]
[Pages 1232-1233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the House of Representatives Returning Without Approval 
Legislation on Labor-Management Relations
July 30, 1996

To the House of Representatives:
    I am returning herewith without my approval, H.R. 743, the 
``Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995.'' This act would 
undermine crucial employee protections.
    I strongly support workplace practices that promote cooperative 
labor-management relations. In order for the United States to remain 
globally competitive into the next century, employees must recognize 
their stake in their employer's business, employers must value their 
employees' labor, and each must work in partnership with the other. 
Cooperative efforts, by promoting mutual trust and respect, can 
encourage innovation, improve productivity, and enhance the efficiency 
and performance of American workplaces.
    Current law provides for a wide variety of cooperative workplace 
efforts. It permits employers to work with employees in quality circles

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to improve quality, efficiency, and productivity. Current law also 
allows employers to delegate significant managerial responsibilities to 
employee work teams, sponsor brainstorming sessions, and solicit 
employee suggestions and criticisms. Today, 30,000 workplaces across the 
country have employee involvement plans. According to one recent survey, 
96 percent of large employers already have established such programs.
    I strongly support further labor-management cooperation within the 
broad parameters allowed under current law. To the extent that recent 
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions have created uncertainty 
as to the scope of permissible cooperation, the NLRB, in the exercise of 
its independent authority, should provide guidance to clarify the broad 
legal boundaries of labor-management teamwork. The Congress rejected a 
more narrowly defined proposal designed to accomplish that objective.
    Instead, this legislation, rather than promoting genuine teamwork, 
would undermine the system of collective bargaining that has served this 
country so well for many decades. It would do this by allowing employers 
to establish company unions where no union currently exists and 
permitting company-dominated unions where employees are in the process 
of determining whether to be represented by a union. Rather than 
encouraging true workplace cooperation, this bill would abolish 
protections that ensure independent and democratic representation in the 
workplace.
    True cooperative efforts must be based on true partnerships. A 
context of mutual trust and respect encourages the prospect for 
achieving workplace innovation, improved productivity, and enhanced 
efficiency and workplace performance. Any ambiguities in this situation 
should be resolved, but without weakening or eliminating the fundamental 
rights of employees to collective bargaining.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

July 30, 1996.