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Secret Ballot Watch

EFCA’s Arkansas Problem

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 18, 2009 | Alexa Marrero ((202) 225-4527)
More evidence has surfaced to debunk claims about a compromise version of the Employee Free Choice Act passing the Senate.

Sen. Mark Pryor hasn’t weighed in on the “new” version of EFCA. In fact, he hasn’t said much about the old one either. The Hill catches up with the Arkansas Democrat here:   

“Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) told The Hill on Thursday he remains ‘stubbornly noncommittal’ on so-called ‘card-check’ legislation, though he is hopeful for an eventual bill.

“Pryor, who is one of the most closely watched centrist Democrats on the contentious Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), said that he's been working with a group of senators to craft a compromise on the union organizing bill.

“‘I've been working with a group to see if we can do some legislation, but we're still working. It's a work in progress,’ Pryor said.”

Rushing, “Pryor 'stubbornly noncommittal' on card check,” The Hill, 09.17.09 

We would be “stubbornly noncommittal,” about EFCA, too, if we were in Pryor’s shoes. The bill has the ability to set aside the secret ballot, kill jobs during one of the worst recessions in America’s history, and force government contracts on businesses. Those are just the highlights among a list of other terrible features.  

Perhaps that’s why Arkansas’ other senator, Blanche Lincoln, isn’t noncommittal – she’s outright opposed. 

“Lincoln also reiterated her opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act in its current form. The New York Times on Wednesday quoted Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Penn., as saying Lincoln would vote to stop a filibuster of the bill.

“‘I don’t know where he got that,” Lincoln said today. ‘I certainly haven’t spoken with Sen. Specter, and I’ve made it clear that the Employee Free Choice Act, if it were to come up, that I could not support the procedural motion to move it forward.’”

Lyon, “Lincoln: Health care measure is work in progress,” Arkansas News, 09.17.09 

Pryor and Lincoln have been key figures in the EFCA debate and their relative silence about the future of EFCA legislation – new, old, compromise or otherwise – says much. No matter how many ways supporters dress it up, the Employee Free Choice Act is bad legislation.

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