Cubicle workers unite ... white-collar unions? [View All]

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.suntimes.com/business/1857296,CST-NWS-union01.article

October 31, 2009
BY ANITA BRUZZESE

Could a union be coming soon to a cubicle near you?

While unions often have been associated with the factory floor, the current congressional and presidential support of unions, along with a disillusioned professional labor force, may mean that the time is ripe for unionization to move into new territory -- the white-collar arena.

Not only has President Obama expressed support of unions, but his appointments to the National Labor Relations Board "have fundamentally changed the face of the NLRB, and are poised to make much more union-friendly policies," says Shanti Atkins, a lawyer and president and CEO of ELT Inc. in San Francisco.

One of those changes currently afoot is the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, now in a House committee, which would change the NLRB system regarding how workers vote on unions, Atkins says.

Specifically, the bill would give workers the choice of forming unions by getting a majority of employees to sign cards to join, without having to hold a secret ballot election. Currently, the law leaves it up to companies to decide whether employees must hold an election or can organize by checking the union membership cards. The proposed bill also states that if employers and employees can't agree to a contract within 120 days, then a government arbitrator will help them set terms.

"There is certain to be an increase in union-organizing activities, regardless of whether or not the highly controversial bill passes," Atkins says.

FULL story at link.