Why Business is Hysterical About Card Check

[Crewleader]

March 19, 2009

And Why America Needs It

By MIKE WHITNEY

Big business has launched a no-holds-barred propaganda blitz against the Employee Free Choice Act. Their goal is to scare people into believing that if the bill passes it will trigger higher unemployment and a deeper recession. According to opponents, there's even the threat of creeping socialism. The truth, of course, is far less dramatic. The Employee Free Choice Act or so called "card check" simply makes it easier for unions to organize. Here's a short summary of the bill posted on the Change To Win web site:

Majority Rules, Not the Boss:

Currently, a majority of workers can sign up for a union, but the company can veto that decision and demand an election. This allows the company to fire or harass workers, and threaten that it will close the workplace, in order to coerce workers into voting against a union. Under EFCA, if a majority of employees sign cards indicating they want a union, the company has to recognize the union, as long as it is certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

That's it. All that's needed for union certification is for a majority of workers to sign cards. No one is coerced into doing anything they don't want to do; it's completely voluntary. There's nothing in the process that will have any material effect on the economy and, despite all the fearmongering, union goons will not force people to sing L'Internationale at baseball games or make them wear funny-looking blue jumpsuits to work. It's just a better way to organize, which is why the Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations are in a lather.

There are provisions that deal with contract negotiations and bargaining in good faith, but those are added to discourage management from dragging its feet on contracts (which is a typical strategy). The bill also gives the government the power to settle disputes on wages and benefits through binding arbitration. And, yes, there are penalties for firing workers for engaging union activity, but most people think these are both fair and reasonable.

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney03192009.html

[upi402]

1. If most workers want a union, they can join a union?

Sounds reasonable -in the land of the free- to be in a union if they want. Doesn't seem to be working too well the way it is. Working folks are beat nearly to death and it still isn't enough. The egg-laying goose is about to die and they want to cut it open and dig the last egg out...
So they get to toss it on the grill, then what? Gather their own food for their own selves?

[old mark]

2. The idea that they won't have complete control over the lives of their

employees is unnerving to a lot of the egomaniacs that run businesses large and small. Many of them seem to share an illusion - that they are
entitled to be in business and in power over others and that this somehow must never change.

I have seen this crazed BS in the public as well as the private sector, and the social services field is among the worst I have ever seen, rivalling very small businesses.

I was an AFSCME Steward for years in state civil service jobs and I feel the unions really must be re-organised to more realisticly serve the workers - many of them seem to be serving the companies they are supposed to keep in check.


mark

[burning rain]

3. What's really rich...

is how business groups are setting up phony workers' rights fronts to oppose card check. Doubtlessly the first time these characters ever came out for "workers' rights."

[DCKit]

4. Anything the Chamber of Commerce is against must be a huge plus for working people.

As with the GOP, betting against them 100% of the time is a winning proposition.

[Po_d Mainiac]

5. Who's agaist the measure?

Basically all of the large employers that would rather coach their employees on how get State health coverage, than do right by them and provide coverage. Its called corporate welfare.

But the sheep will always line up for a sale at walshitmart.