Harvey Peeler

We’ve been working hard in the Senate this year to make needed reforms to our state government, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve been successful in coming through for South Carolinians. One of the big changes is to the state Employment Security Commission.

It took a week of debate, but in February, conservatives in the Senate banded together to fix the ESC. Last year, the state had to twice borrow a total of $800 million to stave off shortfalls in the fund that pays unemployment benefits. One reason for the fund deficit is the recession we’ve all had to endure. But, a much larger reason is mismanagement of the ESC.

The three commissioners didn’t come to the legislature in time to head off the crisis, and improper oversight of the agency allowed the problem to progressively get worse. That’s why it was a priority of the Senate Republican Caucus this year to make the changes needed.

The bill we passed will scrap the current setup of the ESC and create the Department of Employment and Workforce, a cabinet-level agency that will give future governors oversight power and bring true accountability to the ESC. But that’s just the beginning.

Over the past several years, the agency paid $171 million in unemployment benefits to people fired for cause. That won’t happen anymore. There’s absolutely no reason why taxpayer dollars should be sent out to people who failed to appropriately do their job. Additionally, it used to be perfectly OK for someone to receive benefits who was fired for illegal drug use. That won’t happen anymore, either.

By making these changes, we’ll be saving money while helping those who truly deserve it. The fix will also make sure that the new Department of Employment and Workforce will be a job placement agency, not a check-writing agency. It’s important that we get South Carolinians back to work, not at home collecting a payment.

It’s all about creating jobs. The smaller and less intrusive government is, the better. But, sometimes the economy needs a push, and workers need a hand up. The more that the state’s jobs agency concentrates on jobs, the more people will be employed and the less money needs to be appropriated. It’s a win for both the average taxpayer and unemployed South Carolinian.

We’ve also stood up for job creation in the state by passing legislation that will put a constitutional amendment to ban card check on the ballot. Card check, in case you haven’t heard, is a system by which the secret ballot is taken away from workers in a union representation election. By taking away the secret ballot, unions are able to intimidate workers to vote their way.

The secret ballot is an important part of our democratic process. Every American grows up knowing that not only do they have the right to vote, but that vote is private. That way, everyone is free to vote their conscience without undue influence from anybody.

If South Carolinians go to the polls and approve the change in the constitution, it will free our state from the potential passage of the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act,” which is going through Congress. The EFCA would make card check legal.

The good news is that stopping card check in South Carolina would put the breaks on unionization, allowing the residents of our state to maintain the workplace freedom that they currently enjoy. It also sends the message to businesses that South Carolina is committed to keeping a business-friendly environment.

One of the biggest developments of last year was the arrival of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner facility in North Charleston, and the thousands of jobs that are being created all over the state because of it. Just why did Boeing make the decision to construct its new plane here and not at company headquarters in Washington state?

Back on the West Coast, the machinists’ union has been causing all kinds of problems, and after months of struggles, not too much had changed. Boeing took a look at South Carolina and our state looked pretty attractive.

It wasn’t too long ago that the CEO of Boeing’s commercial plane division said that the overriding factor in the decision to build the Dreamliner in South Carolina was that the company couldn’t afford a work stoppage every three years. If people in Washington want that, then fine. We’ll gladly take the jobs.

For Senate Republicans, we’re not done, and we’re going to keep working hard for the people of South Carolina. But with ESC reform and stopping card check, our state is already on the path to pulling clear from the recession and creating jobs for every South Carolinian ready to roll up their sleeves and go to it.

by Senator Harvey Peeler