Democrats believe they can taste victory, and organized labor believes that when the Democrats control both houses of Congress and the Executive branch, they will shout hosannas as the Employee Free Choice Act becomes law. Card Checks, as it is commonly known, will then permit union organizers to do end-runs around secret-ballot elections and sign up one union member after another. This would truly revolutionize the union movement, taking it out of the doldrums and making it a powerful anti-business force at a time when Corporate America is fighting the effects of a stagnant economy.
The Card check concept was a clever idea born of union frustration. The Democrats have signed on to supporting it while criticizing NAFTA. If organized labor were to choose a symbol, at this time, it would be a Cheshire cat, grinning from ear to ear.
In 2003, 2005, and 2007, the Employee Free Choice was defeated. In 2009, union organizers expect to pop champagne corks as it becomes law.
To ensure such a pro-union outcome, the AFL-CIO has earmarked $360-million to elect Democrats this year. Its campaign is called Change to Win. Some union officials are ironically concerned that the NLRB will not be able to keep up with validating all the new unions and union members.
Corporate America is now poised on the edge of a precipice, as is a democratic tradition: the secret ballot.
