The irony was obvious in
last week’s report that the Service Employees International Union is seeking to toss out signed union authorization cards on the basis that workers were intimidated or misled by a card check union sign-up. After all, the SEIU is a very public backer of the so-called
Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would amend federal law to require union certification through the public card check process.
We’re not the only ones who noticed the double standard. An editorial appearing today in Washington’s The Daily News uses the SEIU’s surprising claim as evidence that “genuine free choice requires some privacy” – something card check simply doesn’t offer:
“The Service Employees International Union, a strong supporter of the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, would appear to be having second thoughts on a key provision of the bill — allowing workers to join a union solely on the basis of signing a petition. …
“The SEIU’s argument for federal intervention is particularly ironic. It maintains that the nearly 100,000 California members who signed cards indicating their wish to be represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers may have been subject to intimidation by NUHW organizers. This is the same reasoning used by opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act. They contend that elections by secret ballot are necessary because workers can be pressured by union activists into signing authorization cards. …
“Studies have found than many workers who sign cards in front of their co-workers and union representatives end up voting against organizing once in the privacy of the voting booth.
“The studies merely confirm the obvious. Genuine free choice requires some privacy, where individuals can choose without fear of harassment. This is why we vote by secret ballot in this democracy. The Employee Free Choice Act would deny workers that privacy by requiring the NLRB to approve union recognition once a majority of workers signed union authorization cards. Workers who may feel pressure to sign, but have doubts about a union, would have no opportunity to privately express themselves.”
Editorial, “Union rift highlights problems with Employee Free Choice Act,” The Daily News, 06.30.09
It’s been said before, but it bears repeating – the only way to ensure genuine free choice is to protect workers’ right to a secret ballot.
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