Waiting to Cash In

Big Labor bosses are ready to ram through their power-grabbing agenda with the help of a new crop of congressional water carriers — and they are not hiding their demands. Just read the headlines: “After Push for Obama, Unions Seek New Rules” or “Labor Wants Obama to Take on Big Fight,” and even “With strengthened hand on the Hill, liberal lobbies dreaming of big gains.”

There is no arguing that the Big Labor bosses want Congress to give them the power to unionize millions of Americans through new coercive tactics.

The Hill reports:

Labor groups spent heavily on the election in key battleground states and are planning to push for a series of economic changes, including . . . their top priority: passing the [Card Check Forced Unionism Bill] Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), legislation that they argue would make it easier for employees to form a union. . . .

“The gains obviously increase our chances of passing EFCA,” said Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, at a post-election briefing. “We’re strengthened. We have more votes in the Senate and the House.”

The Wall Street Journal, without a hint of a suggestion of a quid pro quo, reports:

After unions spent more than $400 million on the election and mounted massive voter-turnout efforts for Mr. Obama, they’re inclined to push for bringing the Employee Free Choice Act up for a vote early next year, believing they have a narrow window to get it passed. . . .

At the top of labor’s wish list is passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it harder for companies to fight union-organizing drives.

“It is the most important issue that we have,” said John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO.

It is also the most important issue we have. Americans should not be forced to join a union and pay union dues as a condition of employment. Period.