The Employee Intimidation Act

“Card Check” or the misnamed “Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA) is gaining some dangerous ground in Congress.  Basically this legislation would make significant, fundamental changes to the process by which a Union moves into a workforce.  Now whether you’re pro-union, anti-union or depends-on-the-situation-union, this legislation should bother you as an American with Common Sense.

Under the current process, the way a decision on unionization is handled today goes something like this:

• Pro-union organizers chat up the workers and get signatures on cards to indicate an interest in a union;
• Once they have 50% + 1 of the workforce in signatures, they present the cards to the company;
• A date for a vote on unionization is set;
• The eligible workers vote, in secret ballot, on the issue and the decision is made by the majority of votes;

Now, this seems like a fairly straight-forward and equitable process to me and, in fact, 74% of current union members favor keeping this process.  But the Employee Intimidation Act changes that … basically it drops the last two steps in the process, allowing the decision to unionize to be based on the signatures alone and not a secret ballot.

Supporters say that this will “lessen the possibility for intimidation” in the process … huh?  Let’s examine that for a moment … what are some of the reasons I might sign a card, even if I didn’t really want a union?

Well, we all know that peer-pressure couldn’t possibly make someone do something they didn’t really want to, so I wouldn’t sign just because my buddies asked me to, even if I really didn’t believe in it.  After all, everybody’s perfectly willing to piss off their friends over political issues, right?

And if Joe down the line, who I really don’t associate with because he’s 6’-4”, 285-pounds and mutters things like “Machine make Joe mad; Joe break!” … well, if Joe handed me a card and said “Here, sign” I certainly wouldn’t sign it just because no one likes Joe when he’s angry, would I?

Or maybe when I go down to the parking lot and find my car trashed … I wouldn’t sign just because those two big guys from union headquarters stop by to say, “What a shame … hey, since you’re here, why don’t you sign this card?”

No, none of those things would or ever have made someone sign a union card when they didn’t really want to … sure …

In case you’re wondering, the preceding paragraphs were, indeed, sarcasm.

The secret ballot is fundamental to the democratic process.  It allows an individual to vote on an issue truthfully without the need to worry about retaliation or intimidation.  It allows people to vote their conscience.  Removing it from the process is an invitation to thuggery and violence.

It’s time to take action on this issue and contact our representatives.  The voices of ordinary, average Americans can join together to reach a volume that’s heard in Washington and can’t be ignored.  I urge you to contact your elected representatives in opposition to this legislation.

You can find and contact your Senators, Congressman and President Obama through these links:

http://www.house.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also make use of The Bloviater’s free RallyCongress petition to automatically look up your representatives and send the following letter:

I am writing to you to express my opposition to the misnamed "Employee Free Choice Act".

As a registered voter, I am concerned about the elimination of a secret ballot from the process of unionization.  The secret ballot is a cornerstone of a free and democratic process, allowing the individual the opportunity to vote their conscience without fear of intimidation or reprisal.

An overwhelming majority of both union and non-union workers oppose the changes introduced in this legislation and feel the existing process, which requires a secret ballot prior to unionization, is the freest, most equitable way to decide the issue in a workplace.

Please consider my opinion, and the opinion of the majority of working Americans, on this issue when the legislation comes before you for consideration.

All you need to do is enter your name and address to oppose the “Employee Free Choice Act”.