Labor Wish List - The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Page
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board weighs in on the latest version of EFCA:
Desperate to keep the so-called Employee Free Choice Act alive, supporters in the U.S. Senate have cut out its heart — a provision that would let unions represent workplaces without first winning majority support from employees in secret-ballot elections.
That makes the bill better, but not good enough. The bill would still give a government arbitrator the power to dictate wages and benefits for a business if management and labor can’t agree on a contract within 90 days. And in return for reviving secret ballots, supporters insisted on speeding up the timetable for elections so much that employees might not get a full and fair presentation from both sides before voting.
There are worthier provisions in the legislation, such as stricter enforcement of laws against intimidating or firing workers for union activities. But unless supporters bend more on the objectionable parts, the Senate should kill the bill.
