Recently there was a report in the Las Vegas Sun called, Prospects For Organized Labor’s Legislative Agenda Rapidly Fading. According to the report organized labor is disappointed the Obama administration and the Democrats for a lack of progress on their “agenda items”, after their significant investment in the 2008 elections. Their agenda centerpiece was the Employees Free Choice Act or “Card Check” which would effectively end secret ballots in union elections. This legislation would give the unions a significant tool in driving up their membership because it exposes employees against a union to harassment tactics because their opposition is no longer protected by a secret ballot. Most experts now say that the bill can not pass as stand alone legislation.
However, the unions won’t give up that easily. Now there are rumors that the unions will attempt to leverage “moderate Republicans” to help pass the legislation by using “other tactics” such as embedding it in one of the proposed new jobs bills currently being discussed.
We with the recent defeat of Obama nominee, radical labor lawyer Craig Becker for a position with the NLRB, the unions are scrambling to salvage a win. We must watch closely and hold our representatives accountable for stopping it. This can not pass – if it does it will be a death blow to many small businesses and a job killer on all levels. The American public is clearly against this legislation and support the privacy a secret ballot ensures.
One additional note: Obama is now considering a recess appointment for Becker. These type of appointsment are not uncommon except that usually the candidate was not just voted down. Since Becker was rejected by our elected representatives, if Obama slams him through anyway – it is another clear example of how well he listens.
Update Sources:
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Will-Dems-try-and-slip-card-check-legislation-into-upcoming-jobs-bill-83903662.html#ixzz0fFJOUS7W
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/06/union/
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Original Post below:
January 18, 2010 ·
As I’ve been writing for several months, our way of life, our freedom, our liberty and the America that we all love is under attack from the Socialist Left. They are led by President Obama, a Harvard educated community organizer who grew up in the rough and tumble world of Chicago politics. As we have discussed previously, he has a plan and he built a team around him to execute it. He is counting on your passive – “that can’t happen in America attitude” to provide a window of opportunity for him to “Fundamentally transform America!”
Remember – his team is mostly the Czars who work inside the Executive Branch of the Government and are only accountable to the President – no congressional/judicial oversight or approval- and sure as hell – no transparency!
The President likes to discuss policies in general terms describing how the administration might interpret and administer proposed programs. All the while deftly avoiding discussion of the contents of the bills which might become law. Think back – tax cuts for 95% of Americans, transparency and the veto pen to stop pork barrel spending policies, all of which have or are changing because “the situation changed”. As a result we must be vigilant because healthcare reform is not the only game changing bill on the table. Keeping up with these guys is like playing 3 card monte with a street hustler. Don’t be distracted by one hand because the other is up to something too.
Remember the administration is following the community organizer’s handbook. The plan is to overwhelm the system. This is why there is such a rush to pass all this legislation. The plan – overwhelm the system because they are betting we can’t organize fast enough to stop everything.
So here is part 2 of a 5 part series on the Socialist Left’s agenda to “transform” the American Way of Life. These items are the building blocks for a national shift to socialism. This agenda must be stopped – our freedom and liberty depend on it.
In part 1 of the series we covered the plan to reintroduce Immigration Reform. In part 2 we will discuss The Employees Free Choice Act or Card Check.
The Employee Free Choice Act, or “card check,” has been introduced in the past three Congresses, but it always failed to win the 60 votes needed to pass the controversial legislation in the Senate.
The proposed law gives workers a choice of forming a union through majority sign-up (“card check”) or an election by secret ballot. Critics warn that this will lead to employee intimidation to sign cards and will deny individuals the right to a secret ballot. The secret ballot has been the safety valve in the organizing process. Employees could go along with process to allow a vote by signing the organizing petition but had they always had the safety of the secret ballot to protect their individual vote. As a manufacturing manager for 30 years I have had a front row seat to union organizing efforts twice. In both cases, employees were under tremendous peer pressure to sign the petition. However, both times the union was defeated by the secret ballot. It seems like the process worked as it was supposed to each time.
Supporters say the legislation will improve wages, benefits, and working conditions by helping workers form unions. However, employers say that “card check” will kill jobs because small to medium size companies will not be able to afford unionized shops and in many cases the incremental costs will drive them out of business.
“Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process.” – Hillary Clinton
Shouldn’t this apply towards something as important as a union election too? After all the signing the card means that you want to hear more. After both sides present their case you go cast your vote in private.
So why do we need this law? First, it will help the unions get easier victories and build their dwindling membership. Oh, yeah and the labor unions strongly support the democrats. Can you say UAW and SEIU? This is as much about politics as it is about employee’s rights.
There is one more aspect to the bill that is equally as troubling as the secret ballot issue. That is the method by which negotiations would be handled under the bill. If the employer and the union did not reach a deal in 120 days, a government arbitration panel could intervene and take over the negotiations.
For many, the government arbitration clause looks to be a deal breaker. As long as that provision is in the bill Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah says, “I don’t know how anybody can talk compromise.” He added, “If it wasn’t for the political power of the national unions, this wouldn’t have a chance. But they are powerful.”
A new development that makes this bill even more dangerous is the recently negotiated exemption from the proposed 5.25% luxury tax that will apply to “Cadillac health plans”. Under the terms of the agreement, “Cadillac health plans” that are negotiated through a collective bargaining agreement are exempt. This could turn into another tool for union organizers to use to entice new members.
Ironically, during the 2008 elections anti card check ads featured the leading liberal of his time – former S.D. Sen. George McGovern as their spokesman.
Even George could not get behind elimination of the secret ballot to protect the privacy of each employee. We must fight this legislation. With unemployment already tracking at over 10% nationally, we can not afford to lose more jobs. This legislation is bad for business, it is un-American and since when are we against a secret ballot? Write your Senator and tell them –just say no!
Unfortunately, Congress is currently littered with a variety of proposed legislation that supports the administration’s social reengineering agenda. Write your representatives and tell them we are not interested in an American makeover or living in a socialist nanny state. We must send them a clear message that these bills must not pass. We must be vigilant in identifying these bills and fighting them. After all, the only thing at stake is the American Dream!
Restore the Republic, Reject Socialism!
“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.” – Mark Twain
Uncommon Sense 