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

Perhaps you haven’t heard, but two more former ACORN employees have been charged with voter fraud for their small part in the large rash of voter registration “irregularities.” ACORN is going so far as to say it’s a “victimless crime.” M’kay.

Such a blase attitude may be warranted if the cards were something as unimportant as a supermarket discount card, a nice coupon for half off the second entree at the local Mexican restaurant, maybe even a library card. But a voter registration card? Voting is the cornerstone of participatory democracy, and that card is the key to getting in — it’s the ultimate franchise.

So it’s interesting to note ACORN sibling SEIU’s view of the cards that are the key to the labor realm — union authorization cards that would be the one-stop sign-up for dues, work rules, failing pensions, fines, strikes, and more. While most Americans are outraged unions would try to form without letting people vote, SEIU says the card will take care of it. No need to offer the protection of a secret ballot vote, nothing to see here, move along folks.

Of course, there’s plenty of allegations to suggest that SEIU doesn’t really value the secret ballots of its own members, so perhaps cards really aren’t the answer to any problem. Perhaps SEIU isn’t worried about process, but just outcome. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking is usually bad for employees.

Just something to think about.

The Wall Street Journal this morning lays out its case of concern over National Labor Relations Board nominee Craig Becker, who has been a lawyer for the provocative union, SEIU. In that role, he was tied to ACORN and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich:

There’s more. One of the many accusations leveled against former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is that he accepted money from the SEIU in return for taking actions giving collective bargaining rights to Illinois home health-care workers. While Mr. Becker denies any knowledge of, or role in, contributions to the former Governor, he does admit that he provided “advice and counsel to SEIU relating to proposed executive orders and proposed legislation giving homecare workers a right to organize and engage in collective bargaining under state law.”

Mr. Becker says he “worked with and provided advice” to SEIU Local 880 in Chicago, a beneficiary of the newly unionized health workers, and one of two SEIU locals currently in the national spotlight for its deep ties with Acorn. Mr. Becker denies working for Acorn or its affiliates, but as recently as April Acorn co-founder Wade Rathke praised Mr. Becker by name, noting “For my money, Craig’s signal contribution has been his work in crafting and executing the legal strategies and protections which have allowed the effective organization of informal workers, and by this I mean home health-care workers.”

Obviously, the NLRB is critical to maintaining the health of U.S. labor laws so it bears watching who sits on the board.

Well, this is a doozy. ACORN’s chapter in Arkansas (where the group was founded) has put out a video explaining why they support the Employee Free Choice Act:

It’s great that they think people should “have the right to organize” in their workplace. In fact, they already do. But here’s the weird thing: ACORN doesn’t believe in letting its own organizers unionize through the card check process; it uses its right to demand elections. But wait, there’s more: ACORN has been found to bust union drives of its own employees.

One website of unhappy organizers says:

• ACORN management runs the organization’s agenda and members are told what to do — We demand that ACORN become a true member-run organization!
• ACORN activists fight for Living Wages but management refuses to pay a Living Wage and forces organizers to work 54-80 hours a week — We demand a 40-hour work week and a Living Wage!
• ACORN organizers are fighting for 7 days of mandatory paid sick leave for the rest of workers — but ACORN management only gives us 5 days!
• ACORN’s membership is a beautiful rainbow of diversity, but ACORN management discriminates against minority Organizers – We demand management treat Hispanic and African-American organizers with respect!
• ACORN management pays organizers less than a Living Wage while it hid $1 million embezzlement — We demand that ACORN management stops getting rich while we starve!
• ACORN management says it supports unions but busts union drives by ACORN organizers — We demand the right to organize!

We’re confident Arkansas legislators will listen to more responsible employers on issues as serious as the Employee Free Choice Act.