03.01.07
Rep. Carter Calls Worker Legislation A Joke
It’s called the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and Rep. John Carter (R - Exxon-Mobil) voted against it.
Here are the basics of what the EFCA will do:
The EFCA has three main parts. First, it requires certification of a union once a majority of employees in a workplace have signed up for the union. Currently, after a majority of employees have requested a union, employers can force an election. This may sound democratic enough, but in fact it allows employers to use their power over workers to campaign against the union, often harassing and firing union supporters in the process.
Second, the EFCA prevents employers from dragging out negotiations on a first union contract by creating provisions for mediation and arbitration. Third, it strengthens penalties on employers who fire union supporters during union drives - such firings are illegal, but the current penalties are too small to serve as effective deterrents.
There’s more from the AFL-CIO and Speaker Pelosi called it, “..the most important labor law reform legislation of this generation.” Not to be out done ‘ol “foot-in-mouth” Carter said this in his press release:
“Such mandated card checks would result in undue intimidation and pressure on American workers,†Congressman Carter continued. “To claim that a fair, secret election could be conducted under such circumstances is a joke.â€
Rep. Carter’s “secret ballot” BS argument is debunked here. The bill, unfortunately, has little chance of becoming law. It will either be filibustered in the Senate or vetoed by President Cheney Bush.
We’d sure like to hear what union workers think. Please comment below.
jpelt1 said,
March 3, 2007 at 8:43 pm
T.W.U. has been trying to get a collective barganing for continental airlines fleet service agents for years. More cards are always sent in ,then the votes seemed never enough to pass.The telephone votes seemed rigged with no checks or balances.