Employee Free Choice Act

How many of you have heard of the Employee Free Choice Act? I heard the name once, can't even remember when, and then it was brought up to my attention by a lawyer. She said to look it up and what I found scared me.

Basically right now to unionize, before a private vote, there has to be a card check in which 30% of employees sign the card. Get 30% then there is a secret vote and if there is 50% +1 votes in favor of unionizing then it happens and the company and union negotiate terms of a contract until both sides come to a mutual agreement.

Under the EFCA the private vote will be done away with. It would be enough just to get 50% +1 during a card check campaign. What does that mean? That means that people could be harassed by their company and by the organizers, they will not have the opportunity to vote in private. How many people will really vote the way they want if they will be voting in public, open to scrutiny from not only their employers but also their fellow employees and reps. from a labor union. It will be taking the choice away from the employees.

Second, if they get the 50% +1 then the company has 120 days to agree to an initial contract before going to binding arbitration, the results of which neither the company or the employees will be able to appeal and will be valid for 2 years.
So again how exactly is it fair to let a third party decide what the terms of the contract that the company and employees have to abide by. They don't have a vested interest in either side.

Personally I feel that this can change business as we know it. I fear that it's going to financially ruin many companies, not only make it to where they can hire less people because of how much money they have to pay in comp and bens. but since they have to make up these loses somewhere prices will go up.

This is just a very general overview as I see it. For more information check out The Heritage Foundation.
It's really long but you can skim trough it and get a lot of very good information on this piece of legislation.

And who is for this?

Well, from the Obama campaign's position on the economy:

Labor

Obama and Biden will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act...* Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama and Biden believe that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.

From the Obama Campaign position on fighting poverty:

Ensure Freedom to Unionize

Barack Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Although an estimated 60 million Americans would join a union if given the opportunity, companies too often evade employment laws and deny workers the opportunity to organize and advocate for their rights. Obama is a cosponsor and strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to make the unionization process more transparent and increase penalties on companies that violate employee rights. He voted in favor of the legislation this year and will continue to fight for its passage. Obama also will fight to make the card check process more common and less difficult.

By the way this legislation would increase the penalties for unfair labor practices committed by employers during organizing but not for unions.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007:

Passing this legislation will mark the most meaningful action in years to restore the right of workers to organize for fair treatment, but we must go further and also pass the Employee Free Choice Act. Workers should be free to choose whether they want to join a union without fear of intimidation, coercion, or threats to their livelihoods. This bipartisan effort would make the process of organizing less vulnerable to employer violations by requiring card-check recognition and increasing penalties on employers that violate the law.

And he thinks that they will not be coerced in an open vote? Really?

This all comes off as hostile to free enterprise and like government interference with private companies. This is going to make us even less competitive in the world markets (Hello, Detroit and the American auto makers who are closing plants left and right, heavily unionized!) and most likely kill more jobs.



No it is not that simple!