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Published Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 | 12:33 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008 | 10:15 a.m.
Both business and pro-union groups are flooding the airwaves with battling ads about the Employee Free Choice Act, but you won't see any of them here.
Despite our large union presence, Nevada doesn't rate. That's because we don't have a Senate race.
If the Democrats win enough seats and Obama takes the White House, then the act is almost sure to pass. So ads from both sides are constant in Minnesota, Oregon and other states with tight races.
The legislation would allow unions to organize companies with "card check," a simple process where workers sign a card saying the want a union. This would replace secret ballot elections.
This would likely increase union membership dramatically and alter the labor landscape, but you wouldn't know it from the television ad war.
Business isn't pushing its typical refrain about unions - bad for productivity, job loss, small business killer - and instead is focusing on secret ballots. It's tangible, something every voter can easily relate to and understand. After all, secret balloting is drilled into us from an early age as a key to democracy.
The Chamber of Commerce is hammering hard on that change, saying it's an open door to intimidation. Its latest ad, which hit the airwaves today, shows a video of a union leader yelling at a cameraman. Earlier ads featured a star from Sopranos.
American Rights at Work, a pro-union group focused on getting the act passed and one of the labor groups airing ads, calls the Chamber's ad a scare tactic meant to mislead the public. Check out two of their ads here.
Taking away the secret ballot will lead to more peer pressure and intimidation.
Facts show that people are willing to have a vote, but once both sides present their case, most workers decided FREELY not to have a union.
The secret ballot takes away peoples freedom to choose to unionize or not.
I would say, "I can't believe the unions are pushing for this" but then I realize that unions are a business and are in it for themselves, not necessarily hard working Americans.
Just to clear up some of the misinformation being spread by Big Business:
Under majority sign-up, which supplants the election process under this bill, employers are only allowed to recognize a union if a majority of employees has signed valid written forms authorizing union representation. A similar process exists under current law that says once a certain percentage of those forms are signed an election is to be had. This bill just extends the percentage by stating that once a majority of workers say they want a union, they can unionize. No need for a lengthy and costly election. It would also eliminate the undue influence employers have in an election process. Further, any employee who does not sign an authorization form is presumed not to support union representation.
In sum, this would make it easier for those workers that want a union to unionize.
The bill is stalled in the Senate, but with a bigger democratic majority, this piece of legislation will be passed next session.
Obviously this battle is being fought by the Chambers of Commerce (Big Business) and Unions (like AFL-CIO) and won't be solved with mutual satisfaction of both sides.
This bill comes down to whether you're with Big Business or you're with the workers.
1. "With the Unions" does not mean with the workers.
2. Small businesses would be hit harder than larger companies under card check.
3. "they can unionize" - No, they must unionize from the bill Section 2(a) of the Card Check legislation states that once union authorization cards are signed by more than 50% of workers in a bargaining unit, the National Labor Relations Board "shall not direct an election but shall certify the individual or labor organization as the representative." In other words, it would be illegal to have a secret ballot election once the union gathers the necessary signature cards.
4. Really? "No need for a lengthy and costly election." Really? That's your position? It is a) not factual b) quite un-American.
I worked at place that went through a union election.
If the pro-union workers found out that a worker was not going to let the union in then that was harass often. His/her tires would be slashed. He/she would get food thrown at them. He/she would get no help to do their job.
All of that was under a secert ballot.
Can you imagine if a couple of union thugs walk up and ask you sign a union ballot and you turn it down?
It will be the end of democracy in the work place.
Welcome to Obama's socialist world!
Long live Comrade Obama!!!!!!
We are living and watching history being made.
The end of old America is taking place.
The arrival of the new social order is about to happen.
God have mercy on our children and our children's children.
If you think the sub-prime give every minority a house caused damage then you have seen nothing yet.
One can't help but think of "Queen for a Day" or "Atlas Shrugged".
It's ironic that the term "redneck" originated as a name for workers who wanted to unionize (in the WV coal fields), a group that most would consider to be a core constituency of the Democrats today.
One question. Once a union has a majority sign up, why do they FEAR a secret ballot to see if they really want the union?