Speculation continues over the prospects of a compromise on the controversial legislation known as card check. And while supporters of the
unpopular plan try to paint their alternatives as reasonable, today’s
Washington Post carries an op-ed from the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace’s Brian Worth that demonstrates otherwise—
“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.
“Unions already enjoy significant access to employees outside of the workplace: They can visit employees' homes and approach workers in parking lots and other public places. Giving professional organizers unprecedented workplace access would disrupt productivity and infringe on worker privacy.
“Speeding up the timing of union elections is spun as a reasonable solution to union claims of management delaying tactics and the amount of time it takes to hold elections. But the NLRB says the average time to complete a secret-ballot election was 38 days in 2008 (down from 50 days in 1980). Given that campaigns for the U.S. House and Senate are already heating up a full 18 months before Election Day 2010, five weeks is a reasonable amount of time to decide whether to unionize a workplace. One could argue that deciding whether to join a union, a decision that leads to automatic paycheck deductions for union dues and reliance on frequently underfunded union pensions, is at least as important as electing our political leaders.”
Worth, “Labor's Card-Check Ruse,” The Washington Post, 05.19.09
Republicans have opposed card check because it is bad for workers, bad for job creation, and just plain bad for democracy.
And Republicans will continue to oppose any alleged compromise that contains the same flawed policies or produces the same damaging consequences.
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