When the unions are broke. On Jul 20, 8:04 am, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > * REVIEW & OUTLOOK > > <http://online.wsj.com/public/search?article-doc-type=%7BReview+%26+Ou....> > * JULY 20, 2009 > > The New Old 'Card Check' > > Labor's top priority isn't dead yet. > > * Article > > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#articleTabs=a...> > * Comments (11) > > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#articleTabs_c...> > > more in Opinion > <http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-opinion-commentary.html> » > > * Email <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > * Printer > Friendly <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > * Share: > > Yahoo Buzz > > <http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=wsj&targetUrl=http://online.w...> > ? More <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > > o facebook > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o MySpace > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o LinkedIn > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o Digg <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o del.icio.us > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o NewsVine > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o StumbleUpon > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > o Mixx <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > * > > Save This > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> ? More > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > > * smaller <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > Text <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > larger <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804413309863431.html#> > > Politicians don't typically broadcast their defeat, and when they do it > pays to watch for the blindside hit. That's surely the case with last > week's reports that six liberal Senators are abandoning part of labor's > top priority, "card check" legislation. > > The legislation to eliminate secret ballots in union elections has in > fact been comatose for weeks, since Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter and > Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas declared their opposition. So the real > purpose of this "concession" is to shift to Plan B, which is to > repackage most of what labor wants with new ribbons and wrapping. The > bill that Senators Tom Harkin (Iowa), Mark Pryor (Arkansas), Mr. Specter > and others are now considering would still give unions the whip hand in > negotiations with management. > > One proposal would slash the time for an organizing vote, requiring that > it be held within five or 10 days after 30% of workers had signed cards > asking for a union. The median time today is 38 days. Organizers want > the rush because they know the more time workers have to learn about a > union, the less they usually want one. Once employees hear the other > side of the story, support dwindles. > > This also explains a Big Labor demand to bar companies from requiring > their workers to hear management's side during a union campaign. Labor > supporters say this creates a "captive audience," but these meetings are > one of management's few opportunities to address workers, since > companies are barred from the sort of outreach allowed to union > organizers -- such as visiting employees at home. At the same time, > Senators want to give union organizers access to company property. > > Democrats also aren't giving up on binding arbitration, which would let > a federal arbitrator impose a contract if management and a newly > established union at a work site aren't able to agree within 90 days. > The provision would encourage unions to make maximum demands and play > for time, knowing that an arbitrator could force management's hand. > Binding arbitration also denies employees a vote on a contract. > > Labor is desperate to rig the bargaining rules because most workers show > time and again that they don't want a union. Americans know unions > promise higher wages and benefits and more job security. But workers can > also see what has happened to such highly unionized industries as steel, > autos, airlines and many others. Unions couldn't save those jobs, and in > fact they contributed to their demise with contracts that made the > industries uncompetitive. Most workers would also rather not hand over a > chunk of their paycheck in mandatory dues to finance the political > agenda of labor leaders. > > Democrats and the AFL-CIO are hoping that if they dump the unpopular > secret ballot ban from card check, they can get to their magic number of > 60 Senators. The business community and Republicans shouldn't be fooled > and let Democrats from swing states off the hook. Card check under any > cover is still a job killer. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
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