EFCA Update
It’s time for another ‘EFCA Update’. It’s too important an issue to lose track of. This article lays things out pretty well.
We take it for granted that a vote means a secret ballot but it was not always that way. Moreover, it will not remain that way for workers who vote on whether or not they want a labor union, if legislation sponsored by Congressional Democrats and endorsed by Senator Barack Obama becomes law.
Before there were secret ballots, voters dared not express their true preferences if those who watched them vote could retaliate, whether by firing them, beating them up or in other ways. Anyone who is serious about people being free to express themselves with their votes wants a secret ballot.
One thing that’s obvious is that the union bosses are getting desperate. This legislation would legalize the stripping of the last protections workers would have to a secret ballot.
When a union organizer approaches a worker and asks them if they’d like to sign, how likely is that worker to say no? Let’s consider the unions’ history of thuggishness before answering. Why would he/she subject themselves to potential harassment or intimidation? Just the possibility that they’d be subjects of intimidation would likely influence their decision.
Can anyone say that a worker facing that situation has the same protections as a worker voting in the privacy of the voting booth that’s being monitored by NLRB monitors?
This legislation passed the House of Representatives last year but did not make it through the Senate. “I will make it the law of the land when I’m President of the United States,” Barack Obama has said to the AFL-CIO.
Senator Obama has also said many times that he is against “special interests.” But, like most politicians who say that, he means that he is against other politicians’ special interests. His own special interests are never called special interests.
Democrats all across the land are supporting EFCA. Whether it’s the Democrats’ presidential nominee or Ted Kennedy or Al Franken, Democrats overwhelmingly support EFCA. As I’ve just explained, this proves that Democrats overwhelmingly support eliminating important worker protections.
Republicans should vocally stand up for workers’ rights. Let Democrats argue against the workers. That’s a fight I’ll take anytime.
Technorati Tags: EFCA, Unions, Obama, Ted Kennedy, Al Franken, El Tinklenberg, Democrats, Workers Rights, Republicans, Election 2008
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
August 12th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
“When a union organizer approaches a worker and asks them if they’d like to sign, how likely is that worker to say no? Let’s consider the unions’ history of thuggishness before answering.”
A union was trying to organize staff in my job classification. While I was never approached directly by union reps, a pro-union coworker called all of the staff in our classification to ask us to help recruit other staff. I said “no thanks.” No tirade against unions, no explanation, just a simple “no.” That proved to be a mistake. Within a day of that call, other pro-union co-workers decided to “boycott” me: they wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t even look at me as we passed each other in the hall, one refused a supervisor’s request to work on a project with me, another told my direct reportees that she was going to find a way to get me fired. In the end, the union lost the vote by a 3:1 margin. I can only imagine what the intimidation and harassment would be like if there were no secret ballot.
August 13th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Anneke, I’d like you to contact me. go to the Contact us icon at the top of the page & drop me a message.
As you’re aware, EFCA is a threat to our basic freedoms.