The Waco Tribune hits the nail on the head:
A great deal of energy and plenty of money are being expended on economic recovery by the Obama administration, congressional leaders and many governors and mayors across our land.
It would be folly to suddenly undo much of that effort through ill-advised legislation robbing American workers of their current right to secret ballot in deciding whether to organize unions in U.S. industry.
Yet, that’s one of the priorities of some Democratic lawmakers eager to pass what they ludicrously label the “Employee Free Choice Act.”
In truth, it’s anything but “free choice” for workers. Under its provisions, they could find themselves victims of peer pressure by union officials and fellow workers to forgo the secret ballot process and instead sign their intentions in full view of others.
Whether you’re for or against unions, this is undemocratic. It’s one thing to demand open voting by our elected officials, whether on school boards or city council or Congress. It’s another to demand that rank-and-file laborers submit themselves to possible intimidation when deciding whether to unionize.
We understand the desire by union officials for this legislation, especially considering how the number of union workers nationwide has declined from 25 percent of America’s workforce 30 years ago to about 12 percent this year.
It’s also understandable why Democrats want to increase the strength of unions, typically strong supporters of the party.
We’re not against allowing unions more power during hard times, especially when so many corporate executives in financial firms and national businesses have done so much to enrich themselves at the expense of their employees.
Union officials say the bill wouldn’t require secret ballots on whether to unionize, only that a majority of employees sign a card indicating a willingness to join a union. Problem is, it could well be done as union officials look on.
That’s intimidation.
We urge lawmakers to rally against this bill and preserve the basic tenets of our democracy — even in a place sometimes as autocratic as the American workplace.
After union lawyers’ attempt to get the NLRB to block the vote failed, CWA union bosses backed down and departed AT&T workplace rather than face workers’ vote
Mark Mix Voices His Concerns On Tennessee’s WDEF News 12 as Big Labor Prepares for a Card Check Election at the Chattanooga Volkswagen Plant.
“Employees who are the targets of union organizing campaigns, and who do not want to be subject to monopoly union representation, must be vigilant about their rights after Cemex,” the notice reads