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

Andy Stern is head of the Service Employees International Union and, as such, one of the top voices (and funders) pushing the anti-democratic, job-killing bill known euphemistically as the Employee Free Choice Act. During a sitdown with the Los Angeles Times editorial board, he had some puzzling statements:

• “I think everybody now agrees that there needs to be binding arbitration; not everyone, I’d say there’s an overwhelming majority that agrees there needs to be binding arbitration.”
• “I think no matter what we do we’re going to maintain secret ballot, because I think there’s always going to be an election process”

Those are remarkable statements. The first seems way off base to us. We know of almost no one — outside of organized labor — who thinks it’s a good idea to inject big government bureaucrats into small-business decisions through binding arbitration.

The second is a shocking admission that the secret ballot issue is not one that can really be won by unions. Unfortunately, that does not necessarily herald a victory for employee advocates. Big Labor still hopes to rush through “quickie elections” that deny employees time to get both sides of the story and making an informed choice.

It’s important EFCA opponents keep working to block “son of EFCA” compromises that still harm employees, employers, and our economy.

Unfortunately, the Internet gives power to mistruths and half-truths to spread quickly. The Heritage Foundation takes offense at claims by Media Matters that the Foundation’s video on card check is full of falsehoods. Check out the back and forth and decide for yourself.

No surprise here:

More than 70 percent of Wisconsin voters said they were opposed to ending the secret ballot in union organization, according to a recent survey by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, a state business advocacy group …

About 27 percent of those surveyed were from union households.

Brian Worth of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace argues in the Washington Post that potential compromise points on the Employee Free Choice Act:

Union leaders know that they do not have the votes necessary to overcome principled bipartisan opposition to this legislation in the Senate. That is why EFCA supporters have shifted their energy to passing “compromise” legislation consistent with the original bill’s “principles.”

Compromise in the form of mail-in ballots (which is essentially card check with a stamp, a.k.a. “postcard check”), allowing union organizers unfettered access to employees in the workplace and mandating what amounts to quickie elections are proposals that purport to expedite the organizing process but, in reality, would sacrifice the rights of employees for the wants of professional union organizers, just as EFCA would.

The Los Angeles Times this morning has an interesting story. It captures much of the great work American businesses and associations like Associated Builders and Contractors has done to tell Congress about the problems with the Employee Free Choice Act. The report suggests our collective efforts have found success. But it also reminds: “The legislation’s chief sponsor, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), is trying to fashion a modified bill that can win the needed 60 votes.”

The fight is not over.

CNSnews.com today has a lengthy story on prospects for negotiations on the Employee Free Choice Act. Associated Builders and Contractors was quoted extensively to offer our no-compromise message:

But Brewster Bevis, senior director of legislative affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors, said opponents of the bill see no room for compromise on this issue.