That ain’t how it works, and you probably know it. Workers don’t go to “management” to get ballots. They bring in the NLRB to conduct a union election.

In regards to the discrimination statement, if you file with the state EEOC it will not cost you a dime. The state will investigate and determine if any laws were broken. Also, I wonder how much of what you complained about here was ever formerly addressed with leadership directly? Or even HR for that matter?

Also, you say 75% of the techs there signed cards…what about the other 25% that obviously didn’t want (or know about) the Union? Your majority vote with card check would’ve overridden their say so without even allowing them to cast a vote.

Also, retaliation during an organization campaign is a violation that should’ve been reported to the NLRB.

A few years ago we technicians started a union drive and 75% of the technicians signed cards at the onset. We then had a 180 day wait for the so-called secret ballot. Our employer got to see the names of the card signers and launched a major campaign of terror against these employees. Needless to say after the cronnies were given raises and the weak-willed cound not stand the harassment by management, 25% pulled out, as did the union. If ‘card check’ had been in place on day one we would have had a union in place and could have gone straight to contract negotiations. We are dedicated workers and get paid only for the work we perform. We deserve the right to negotiate for fair wages, better benefits, a safe work environment and reasonable job security.

As our busy shop rakes in money hand over fist at a rate near $100 per billed hour, we are told that vacation pay has been cut to 1 week per year for every technician. Our employer recently fired 3 seasoned technicians only to replace them with 3 laid-off techs who were desperate enough to work for half the pay. Our heath coverage out of pocket costs are over $100 per week for a family and the coverage is poor at best. Our employer contributes $0 to our company 401K plan. We are given 4 paid personal days for which we must give 2 weeks notice to use. Try doing that when your kids are sick. Meanwhile our employer lives in the lap of luxury, his middle management appointee (friends) take home monsterous salarys and do next to nothing.

To all of those who are against the passage of The Employee Free Choice Act, I suggest walking a mile in my shoes. As an Auto Technician at a large dealership I am compensated on a commission basis only, not hourly of salary. In our state employment is considered “at will”. This simply means that an employer can fire an employee at any time for any reason or for no reason. Your only recourse is to prove that you were discriminated against, in a federal court, at your own expense. If you contact the state Labor Relations Board, the first thing that you will be asked is “what union do you belong to?”. If you have no union representation you are calmly told that there is nothing they can do for you. You are totally on your own.

With the Union voted in for a particular labor group with an employer, the individuals within that group lose their ability to communicate directly with leadership. Everything from that point forward has to be mediated by a Shop Steward.

Regardless of what this bill changes or not, Unions mean less voice for the individual employee and a larger base from which to fund said organization.

I’m not sure about anyone else here, but I enjoy being able to speak freely to my boss without having my words filtered through someone else. You lose that privilege when a Union takes over.

Also, the FLSA in addition to several other Acts/Agencies (OSHA comes to mind) haved addressed many of the issues Unions were created to deal with in the first place. Hence, the validity of the statement “Unions were once beneficial, but their time has now past”.

I personally think the time for unions is past. We have enough laws on the books where people are paid fairly. Unions are what has bankrupted the car companies. This will just give them more opportunity to pressure the workers into joining. Takes away their right to privacey in their vote.

Jay, why is it assumed that every job should pay enough for a family to live well? Are you assigned that job by the government or do you have a choice to go and find a job with better pay and conditions?

I admit it would be simpler for everyone if every job paid the same and no one needed to take responsibility for their own fate.

But for me, I think I would rather make the choices myself.

I used to be anti union when I worked in sales. However I’ve worked in a factory for over 3 years now. Employees have no say in a non union factory. You have no protection against bad management. Your raises are based on what management feels ok with. Workers get maybe 3% they get 4.5 with extra time off. I have a family to take care of. So I can’t just quit if I don’t like it. Just remember all Reagan Repubs out there. Its your tax dollars that help people on low income and the Wal mart executives sleep just fine knowing that many of their full time workers can’t afford a nice place to live or that their family qualifies for the wic program. It the middle class that made America great. Its the middle class that keeps America free.

MichaelBN, I think this is part of the disconnect..A workplace is NOT a democracy. It is a workplace, an organization in most cases created to make a profit. If you were to open a business with say 100 manual laborers, do you allow those employees to set the wages, or the work hours? If all the employee vote to receive the same pay as you, do you allow that?

If all things worked as they should, a union would in fact represent the “worker”. And if all things worked as they should, an employer should do the same.

Yet the world is far from the way it should be. The union organizer has one goal, that is to generate membership. the history of union intergrity and and corporate integrity are the same, and that is many are very good, and many are exceptionally self serving.

But one important question. When voting for union leaders, do you require that 30% of your membership request a secret ballot, or is it your right to cast a secret ballot?

you mean “power to the union”?

They were threatened with termination for trying to unionize? Where, when, who….that is illegal and you’re just make this s..t up!

Calling this a “Free Choice Act” is something out of George Orwell 1984..this is not FREE CHOICE at all, and if truth in labelling were in effect should be called the “Employee Intimidation by Union Act”

More Orwellian “Newspeak.” Secret ballots provide workers with a choice to vote out unions. If you had been successful in passing this abomination against American liberty, your “Employee Free Choice Act” would bring terrorism to any and all who oppose the adoption of unionized heavy-handed tactics.
Thank God for the responsible legislators that still believe in Freedom and real-Choice in America.

If you have money do you put in a bank account that earns 1% interest when another is offering 5% (assuming both are stable)? Likewise if an employer can get X production out of someone for $5 rather than X production out of another person for $25 which will he choose? You are implying that the best employees won’t be valued by the employer. The equation works both ways, if you can produce X for $5 from company A or X for $25 from company B which will you choose. Therefore if one employer is trying to “exploit” their employees then a competitor will be able to persuade their best and brightest to work for them.
Its called Capitalism and it works without Unions!

If you can afford bullets, you can afford to pay for a license and register your firearms. No one wants to take your firearms away, they just want to know if you are selling them to people who can not legally possess a firearm.

Ands thanks to the failed policies of the Republicans, there will be even more Democrats in 2010.

America thanks you.

I propose you personally explain that to the thousands of Wal Mart and Home Depot employees who were threathened with termination when they went and asked management for the ballots that would have allowed then a vote.

Now those same workers can get a ballot without fear fo termination, and the corporations will be forced to pay a living wage. The shareholders might have to get real jobs, since the earnings won’t be as large, but maybe labor won’t have to work two jobs to support a small family.

To snydes45 – It is because some employers do not care about their employees as anything more than a “commodity” for which to bid, that employees need a collective body with which to speak and to defend their rights. They surely are not going to expect you or your type to do anything but the minimum, while maximizing everything for yourself and your investors.

I see everyone talking about what the employee is concerned with. But if I have a lot of money and I want to open a factory do I really care about them? NO! And I shouldn’t aside from their ability to get me where I want to be. I pay them to provide the labor that I need. That means that I am in control not them. If I get out of hand and offer to low of salaries then my competitor will pay more and get my most talented employees. The fact that unions exist is laziness. People don’t want to earn their keep. If there was such an advantage to being union then private schools wouldn’t be better than public, foreign autos not better than domestic, and so on.

They already have the power to form a union. All this does is open up a majority to the harassment of a 30% minority.

Also, if an employer is fairly compensating their employees and providing an exceptional work enviornment why would they need to worry about their employees organizing? And as for spending time and energy with law. If these corporations can spend thousands of dollars on anti-union lawyers to fight to bust the organizing drive why can’t they invest that money ensuring their labor?

Have anyone of you opposing this legislation had the opportunity to attend a union meeting? Have you ever had a conversation with a union organizer? Organizers are there to answer questions, listen to the employees concerns and tell them how the employees can form their union. A Union is the workers and their leaders are elected by secret ballot. And dues are not used and cannot be used for campaign contributions. Members donate to the party of their choose and have the choice to donate to a union’s political arm.

The ignorance in these responses is amazing. What happened in your past that made you so scared and angry and close minded. I will give you credit for for one thing those that oppose this have an outstanding ability to quote portions of the act in a way that causes fear and doubt. The act is only 7 pages long. Anyone should be able to read that. I have contacted Republicans and Democrats in support and opposition of this and they have all clarified that this DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE SECRET BALLOT! If 30% of the employees profess interest in forming a union they can file a petition to the NLRB requesting a secret ballot. The only thing that has changed about the secret ballot is who requests it. If a simple majority of employees wish to profess interest to the NLRB (50%+1) the employees union would be recognized. I would think you would support this as it would save tax payers dollars and the NLRB’s time as the support is already there.

The Patriot Act argument is really getting old…move on. Almost as bad as the “we inherited this debt” one. You got the President and Congress you’ve always wanted and what has happened so far in the first few months is staggering beyond compare.

Good grief! If there ever was a bill that proved the Democrats court the Union and their votes….here it is. Just look at the sponsors. There is absolutley nothing good about this bill.

This bill will add a huge burden to the good employeers, who fairly compensate their employees, forcing them to spend time and energy educating them on law and the concequences of signing a union document. This is going to smother the businesses and industries with exceptional work environments.

This is payback for the unions endorsing Barack Obama and the Democrats. The campaign contributions were given by the unions to influence the Democrats’ decisions on labor. That is nothing short of bribery, and, the last time I checked, bribery is a felony, and convicted felons should be prohibited from running for office, and those currently in office should be forced to resign. The FBI should investigate the motives for this legislation and for the unions’ contributions. If it is for corrupt purposes, those involved should be prosecuted.

Thank you Uncle Sugar !

I can not support this bill. I hope you can’t either. At one time there was a place for Unions, but not any more! Any company that deals with Union workers will find themselves in the same situation as GM! They simply are bad news and are not necessary!