Americans for Prosperity’s National Save My Ballot Tour Travels to Virginia, Apr. 17-18

For Immediate Release – Monday, April 13, 2009
Contact: Ben Marchi, (804) 380-9240

RICHMOND - Americans for Prosperity (AFP) will defend workers’ rights to cast secret ballots in Virginia as part of its nationwide Save My Ballot tour in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as “card check,” which would strip workers of their rights in union organizing elections.

“Some lawmakers want to abolish private ballot elections through the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act, and allow unions to organize just by collecting signatures on union cards. This would give them the ability to pressure and intimidate workers in public,” said AFP Virginia State Director Ben Marchi. “We support the secret ballot so every worker has the right to vote on such an important matter without coercion or retaliation.”

AFP will be joined by Tito the Builder in taking its Save My Ballot Tour across Virginia—from the New River Valley to the Atlantic coast-- to urge U.S. Senator Mark Warner to vote against card check legislation.

“Senator Warner may be the deciding vote on this key piece of legislation,” said Marchi. “We need to send him a strong message that the so-called Employee Free Choice Act is an enormous assault on our democratic values and on our rights here in Virginia and across the nation.”

Beginning in North Carolina, the nationwide tour kicked off in Greensboro and Raleigh in February where over 500 citizens urged Senator Kay Hagan to vote ‘no’ on card check legislation. Following North Carolina, AFP traveled to Pennsylvania where stops in Pittsburg, Harrisburg and Philadelphia brought out hundreds more. After Virginia, the tour will travel to Arkansas.

Speakers will include business, community, and political leaders concerned about what “card check” legislation could do to hurt economic prosperity in Virginia.

All events are free and open to the public. Food will be served.

The Save My Ballot Tour Schedule is included below:

Save My Ballot Tour - Roanoke
When: Friday, April 17th
6:00-8:00pm
Where: Holiday Inn-Tanglewood
4468 Starkey Road, SW
Roanoke, VA 24018
(540) 774-4400
Who: Tito the Builder
Rep. Bob Goodlatte
Del. Morgan Griffith
Del. Ben Cline
AFP President Tim Phillips

Save My Ballot Tour – South Hampton Roads
When: Saturday, April 18th 2009
11:30am-1:00pm
Where: Spring Hill Suites – Greenbier
1446 Crossways Boulevard
Chesapeake, Virginia 23320
Who: Tito the Builder
Tim Phillips, AFP President

For more information and registration, email info@afphq.org or visit www.SaveMyBallot.com

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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