US Senate GOP Leader Sees Defeat For Union Card Check Bill

[maddezmom]

Source: Dow Jones

By John Godfrey, OF DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., predicted Wednesday that Republicans will block legislation making it easier to unionize a worksite.

"I am confident we will prevail," McConnell said.

The White House has already warned that it would veto the bill if it were to emerge from Congress.

Under the proposed bill, all that is needed to organize a work site is a majority of workers at the site signing a card supporting a move to unionize.

Under current law, workers can try to unionize through the same "card-check" process, but the employer can reject the outcome of such a petition and require a National Labor Relations Board overseen election instead.



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[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The GOP will do anything they can to harm the unions.

The worst thing a GOPer can imagine is some ordinary worker making a decent wage.

[VP505]

3. Its not just

a decent wage they can't imagine but its also having that Union Rep that CAN and WILL stand up to the employer on behalf of the worker to make sure the contract provisions are followed. Some how the notion of not having "plantation" control over the workers just bothers the hell out of them.

[billyoc]

2. I'm confident *we* will prevail, Senator.

Your lackluster approval ratings and the possibility that you may even face a primary challenge reinforce my confidence, whereas I can only assume that you've got your "faith-based" polling to reinforce yours.

MyDD story on McConnell's woes:

http://mydd.com/story/2007/6/14/22250/7741

[bluestateguy]

4. Interesting

When it comes to government regulation of unions, Republicans are the big government party and Democrats are the limited government party.

[Turbineguy]

5. That's especially weird

considering his Wife is the Secretary of Labor.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Or Secretary Against Labor?

[aquart]

6. Then we re-introduce in two years.

While you're handing out resumes to lobbying firms, sir.

[ozymandius]

7. Today's Republican hates unions as much as Hitler did.

Hitler banned labor unions when he came into power. Bush, with a little help, has sought the same through Amero-Nazi methods.

[tritsofme]

8. The absence of a secret ballot makes me nervous.

I know things are better today, but growing up in Chicago I ran into some union guys that I certainly wouldn't want looking over my shoulder as I signed a card.

[Polemicist]

10. The alternative is free intimidation by employers...

I also heard Chris Matthews using the "union goons" objection to the card check system. And those were his words, not mine or yours. He used that term to talk about pressure from unions to sign a card check.

I started looking into the issue a bit after hearing that comment, to see for myself if this new proposed law was fair to all sides. And the more I looked, the more I realized that union elections are anything but free and fair.

Imagine a secret ballot election, where only one candidate is allowed to freely present their side of the debate to the voters. And that is the employer. Union reps can't come onto company property and present their proposals to unionize. While the employer is free to require compulsory indoctrination meetings on company property and with company time, to demonize the union.

Employers ask for secret ballot votes to delay, so that they have time to create pretexts to fire and harass the outspoken union sympathizers and organizers among employees. Employers hire union busting consultants, specialists who use very questionable tactics to prevent and delay union organizing efforts.

It's not a free and fair playing field. Labor needs the ability to organize without harassment from management. Announced elections allow management to harangue and intimidate enough employees to discourage unionization. The card check system allow employees to make a choice to unionize free from employer intimidation. It's the only fair way for labor to organize to be on equal footing with the power of organized capital.

Society needs balance to prosper. Capital has become way too powerful and unchecked in America. Unions can help restore balance. I wish secret ballot elections worked, but unfortunately abuses by organized capital has show us that it's an insufficient method and highly prejudicial against labor organizing.

[GeorgeGist]

9. Sounds like its Filler buster time

Sure glad Joementum and friends saved us from the nuclear option.