In Catawba County, in North Carolina, the Chamber of Commerce has organized a rally against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would eliminate secret ballot elections during union organizing campaigns and impose significant fines on employers. The Employee Free Choice Act not only does away with secret ballot elections (which are as American as apple pie), but it permits workers to sign cards, under the eyes of union organizers, and if enough of those cards are signed, the workers are then represented by the union. A magician could not have pulled off a neater trick. Presto! You’re company’s workers are unionized!
Now, however, fearing a Democratic controlled congress and the possibility of an Obama presidency, Corporate America has finally decided to act. Senator Obama has already declared that if he’s elected and the Act is passed by both houses of Congress, he will sign the Act into law.
The Business Labor Rally will take place on August 9 and be attended by important local political leaders, such as Senator Elizabeth Dole. In a press release issued by her office, Senator Dole stated: “By denying workers their basic right to a secret ballot, a right that has been enshrined in federal labor laws for over 60 years, this bill trades fair, democratic elections for intimidation and coercion.”
We hope that other Senators throughout the country follow Senator Dole’s leadership and rally against the Employee Free Choice Act. If they don’t, the Act could fundamentally change the entire labor management landscape as Corporate America will have to deal with a dramatic increase in unionization and significantly higher labor costs.
