thetruthaboutefca.com | The Truth About The Employee Free Choice Act & Card Check

In a relatively important article yesterday, Liza Featherstone claims “card check is dead.” We don’t think that’s the case yet, and even if it there’s “son of card check” compromise is still a major threat. But it’s worth noting just how far the debate over the Employee Free Choice Act’s card check provision has come. SEIU president Andy Stern has acknowledged card check is not going to pass. Featherstone, though, points out:

Not everyone committed to labor-law reform is mourning card check.

Columbia economist Jagdish Bhagwati, one of EFCA’s most prominent sympathizers, told TBM earlier this spring that he regretted the card-check provision of the bill: “I think that it was a mistake for us who are supporters of unions and unionization to go for card check. I agree that some employers intimidate workers who wish to unionize, but those who do not wish to unionize can also be intimidated by union organizers.”

It’s worth noting that we weren’t hearing this kind of deep introspection while card check looked like it was going to pass, so it’s not like there are plaudits to be handed out. But it’s better late than never to remember just how bad an idea card check is.

Tags: Protecting Secret Ballots