The forerunner of the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) was formed during the mid-1960's by a group of foodservice and restaurant executives who felt that they were not receiving adequate government relations representation from existing organizations. They felt that the specific needs and interests of the chain segment of the industry demanded more immediate, accurate and personal service. As a result, we have the NCCR of today, whose members are 40 of the largest multi-unit, multi-state restaurant corporations in the country.

WHAT DOES NCCR DO?

The National Council of Chain Restaurants helps shape federal legislative and regulatory issues that are of uniform significance to our member companies. NCCR works in conjunction with various coalitions, associations and organizations to ensure that the concerns of the chain restaurant industry are heard. We have the major responsibility of keeping our membership informed and educated as to the actions of the federal government —legislative, administrative and regulatory — so they are not thrown off guard and forced to comply with burdensome and unnecessary laws and regulations.

WHY JOIN NCCR?

Because having a corporate government affairs department and a grassroots network is only the beginning of effectively managing governmental issues, joining NCCR is a must. In order to really influence the process you have to know how and when to use your capabilities. It is through NCCR and its work with all of the various organizations that you will most efficiently use your government affairs resources. To be most effective you must be engaged in the industry effort, not working alone as a single company. As a member of NCCR, you will be cognizant of the overall industry strategy and advised when and where to strike. This is achieved through NCCR's unparalleled ability to inform and educate its membership. You will find that the technical analyses prepared on legislative and regulatory issues are reliable and in depth. By relying heavily on our own company experts to provide input, the analyses are right on target with the interests of the chain restaurant industry. The company representatives who attend the NCCR meetings comprise a unique blend of attorneys, public affairs, government affairs, human resources and tax specialists. They are the executives who are "down in the trenches" every day working on the issues. We all benefit by our collective knowledge in areas where cooperation, not competition, makes sense.

NCCR'S TRACK RECORD

In the legislative arena, NCCR has a successful record in lobbying the industry's position on such issues as repeal of Section 89 of the Tax Code and OSHA reform. Additionally, we have achieved a major victory with Congress' blocking of funds for the NLRB's proposed single site ruling. Our current legislative agenda is heavy, as we work to represent the industry's interests on the continuation of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit; defeat of OSHA's Anti-Violence guidelines; revision of the Fair Labor Standards Act and tax reform.

Another area where NCCR played a significant role was in the development of the Tip Reporting Alternative Contract (TRAC). This proposal will provide enormous relief to those companies with tipped employees who have been pursued by the IRS to sign a Tip Rate Determination Agreement.

Equally as important as our legislative activity is the legal aspect of the work undertaken by the NCCR. Historically, the NCCR has been extremely aggressive and successful in litigating issues of common interest to the membership. NCCR's legal counsel, Constangy, Brooks & Smith, has scored an impressive string of industry victories in the courts. Through this effort, the NCCR has filled a niche which no other group or organization representing the chain foodservice industry has felt comfortable undertaking.