Sanity to Prevail on Card Check?

Posted November 19th, 2008 at 11.02am in Entrepreneurship.

President-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel declined to reassert Obama’s campaign promise to end the secret ballot in union organizing elections yesterday. The Wall Street Journal reports on Emanuel’s presentation to the WSJ CEO Council:

He was asked his views on the push by labor unions to allow workplaces to be organized with the signing of cards attesting to union support rather than a secret ballot. Mr. Emanuel declined to say whether the White House would support the legislation, but he said the unions are addressing the concerns of a middle class that has seen U.S. median income slide over the past eight years, while health care, energy and education costs have soared.

Only time will tell if Emanuel’s reluctance to address union organizing was just cowardice or an actual shift in policy. But considering that ending the secret ballot will both increase corruption and kill jobs let’s hope it was a policy change.

Author: Conn Carroll
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November 19, 2008 Charles North writes:

Having been through 4 organizing drives (2 as labor and 2 as management) and how the current law already favors labor, it amazes me how few people are aware of this bill. Every small business owner I have spoken to, in my not so scientific sampling, are unaware of it, has yielded the same answer “I’ll close the business first”. How can we make the public aware of this. This is a disaster waiting to happen. I wonder what the unemployment rate will be then? Wait till all of GM’s small subcontractors get organized. It will be the nail in the coffin

November 19, 2008 William Lulias, St. Johns, Florida writes:

As Mr. North commented this House Resolution (HR 800) is the nail in the coffin, no matter which version is adopted. As a union representative, I am appalled at the notion that the true democratic process, secret ballots, is now on the surgeons table. Union labor in this country has a short memory and they are responding with the same pent up fictionalized anger that most groups are that associate with the democratic party. Union labor forgets about the Boston police department that went on strike in the early 1900’s for better wages and conditions, only to be replaced by returning WW I vets. This was done by the governor of Massachusetts. Union labor forgets in the early 1960’s when three NYC newspapers attempted to merge to save themselves and pleaded with labor unions not to strike for the sake of solvency. A strike ensued and the papers folded. Union labor forgets that the air traffic controllers were replaced when they went on strike, that was after thaey gave their endorsement to President Reagan. With all these bail outs and the severity of such intertwined worldwide financial loss, our security is at stake. If there are future strikes,striking workers may then be replaced if the strike impacts national security, safety or economy. My question is, will the President elect act in such a fashion as to replace workers because now almost every job has been implicated as a economic threat, not to mention security. Yes HR 800 is the nail in the coffin, but that nail will rust quickly and these bail outs can have many unforseen implications.

November 19, 2008 William Lulias, St. Johns, Florida writes:

Corruption and productivity are another issue. One needs only to look at the EU and compare to our unionized labor workforce whose misguided desire is to hopefully mirror a country like Greece. The least productive of all in the EU and the most corrupt has by far the leading economy killing labor union. The underground economy that this structure created is almost comical. What’s more comical is when there is a strike, its always nationwide and generally its only the students who clash with police. The striking workers can be found in the caffenios drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. One of the last strikes was over privatizing of Olympic Airlines where the union was successful in creating more jobs than really existed which is the core issue for their finacial woes. The democrats and unions both should be careful what they wish. When we as a nation feel entitiled to employment rather than honoring the priviledge of holding a position of employment for an employer, greatful that as an individual we can be a productive member of our society while earning a living doing so, we embark on a misguided course with no moral compass.

November 20, 2008 Sanity to Prevail on Card Check? » The Foundry | feelbettercard.com writes:

[…] View original here […]

November 21, 2008 Patrick O'lone Cadiz Ky. writes:

If the unions are successful in eliminating the secret vote, won’t they be obligated to support Barack Obama and the democrats in eliminating the secret ballot in our national elections? That is a frightening thought when you realize what happened to Joe The Plumber. Voting in most socialist countries is merely a rubber stamp ballot with the name of only one candidate. Sound rediculous? Maybe so, but the longest journey begins with the first step. Since we already have “SPREADING THE WEALTH”,this would be the second step.

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