Greenville News: "Card Check" Hurts Business and Workers
The Greenville News weighs in against the Card Check Bill:
EFCA [Employee Free Choice Act, better named the Card Check Bill] eliminates employees’ anonymous voting rights. Under the language of the EFCA bill, all a union would have to do to unionize is to get more than 50 percent of the employees to sign a card, agreeing to unionize. That’s it. Once that is done, the employer must recognize the union. Furthermore, if the employer and union were unable to reach an agreement, then a federal mediator would be called in to write a contract.
Why is this troublesome and unfair?
First, EFCA, if passed, would give an unfair advantage to unions. Because only 50 percent plus one of employees’ signatures are required to unionize, employers would be blindsided by the union — giving the employer absolutely no chance to state its case to its employees. Additionally, unions could eliminate 49 percent of the business’ work force from the unionization process. And, anonymity (secret ballot voting) is eliminated, thereby increasing the chances of strong-armed tactics by the union.
Secondly, if the employer and union were unable to meet an agreement and a federal mediator were required to write the contract, the employer would be lawfully required to follow the contract, giving the employer two choices: (1) follow the contract or (2) close its doors to business.
In a day when businesses are competing with companies overseas that do not have the same regulatory requirements, this legislation would put businesses and workers at a competitive disadvantage, furthering the nation’s inability to compete.
Congress must pass legislation that helps raise the nation’s productivity and potential for prosperity. EFCA clearly hurts the nation’s chances of doing just that.