EFCA and the secret ballot

The honest truth is that EFCA would NOT take the secret ballot away from workers. As the labor law stands right now, the employer has the right to choose whether to accept the outcome of a card-check process (some of them actually do) or force the workers to have a secret ballot election. If EFCA passes the workers will get to decide whether they accept the card-check or want to have a secret ballot election. The key difference here is that the choice is given to the workers rather than the employers.

Now, I can see the argument from the other side. “If you have to stand up in public and say you want a secret ballot election,” a right-winger might say, “you might as well give up your secrecy because everyone will assume you’re going to vote against the union.” Maybe, maybe not. But here’s what I have to say about that: I would rather have the choice, even if it means having to stand up and defend my beliefs, than let the boss choose for me. Sometimes democracy requires that you make an opinion and have the balls to stand up for it. If we lived under an absolute monarchy and let the King decide all the policies for us I would never have to debate politics again. I could close down this blog and spend the time I use to write these posts on something more enjoyable (like porn), and I wouldn’t have to deal with people sending me death threats or telling me “communism is teh sux you killed like 123945234 billion people”. I have to confess something to the blogosphere: I struggle with some serious anxiety issues and every time I get a comment notification in my email I cringe and can barely bring myself to open it. I’m that afraid that some stranger on the internet that I’ll never meet is going to say something mean to me. I’m quite possibly the biggest coward in the world. But you know what? Despite the sheer terror I have of being ran through the verbal ringer, I still stand up for what I believe in, even if it’s unpopular. I am glad I have the right to speak my mind, even if it will probably take 10 years off my lifespan.

And of course the following argument is, “if people have to advertise their opinions, they open themselves up to intimidation by union organizers, which is what a secret ballot is supposed to protect against in the first place.” That must be the argument of someone who hasn’t really had to work, at least not on the shop floor, a whole lot in their lives. Who are these mythical union organizers that are going around and intimidating people, trying to get them to sign up “or else”? Does anyone really believe that there’s a Jimmy Hoffa lurking around every job site? If only we were that lucky! Let me tell you something, from the viewpoint of someone who has had plenty of Joe-jobs (union and non-union). I have never once been approached by a union organizer about organizing a non-union job. Ever. In my life. Anywhere. If there are any sly, backhanded, shady-ass union organizers reading this, please come and pick on me. I would be more than willing to help you out in your endeavors to organize the world by any means necessary. Unfortunately I’m not entirely sure you exist because I’ve never seen you. You’ve certainly never intimidated or threatened me.

I’m pretty sure that no one has ever been fired for being anti-union.  No one is going to break your kneecaps or lynch you from a railroad trestle. These are, however, things that might happen to you if you take a pro-union stance. The idea that the employer needs to decide whether to honor card-check or force a secret ballot election to protect the workers is ridiculous. It’s set up that way so the employer can drag their feet and use the time they  buy to indoctrinate, intimidate, harass and fire pro-union employees in order to rig the election.

The smear campaign against EFCA that has been fueled by big business is so out of touch with reality, it turns the whole situation on its head. Right now, the employers hold all the cards, and they don’t want to give them up. Are you so afraid of having to make a decision that you’d rather not have the choice?