Prominent Democrat Opposes EFCA, Says Measure “Goes Too Far”
Floridians for Responsible Policy today announced that former State Senator Rick Dantzler of Winter Haven, Florida has added his voice to the growing number of Democrats that oppose the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) pending before the U.S. Congress.
“I just can’t figure out why anyone would support eliminating a worker’s right to cast a secret ballot”, said former State Senator Rick Dantzler. “It’s not fair to the employee, and it’s not fair to the employer.”
Instead of unions seeking 30% of signed cards from eligible employees to trigger the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a secret ballot election, the EFCA would replace a worker’s secret ballot with a card, signed in public, thus eliminating a worker’s basic right to privacy. This tactic would leave the worker open to undue influence, intimidation and ridicule. Currently there are guidelines, timelines and rules for each side to follow once the NLRB establishes the proper threshold has been met to hold an election. The process protects the worker, through a secret ballot, from undue influence from either the union organizers or employers. The EFCA would effectively result in allowing only unions to decide when, where and how to organize a workplace, leaving the employer out of the process.
“Proponents believe the measure would result in more unionized workplaces, but the ends don’t justify the means”, Dantzler continued. “The process established in law for holding union elections should be neutral and should create an equal playing field. I’m sympathetic to the plight of labor, but the EFCA simply goes too far.”
Rick Dantzler served in the Florida House or Representatives from 1982 to 1990 and in the Florida Senate from 1990 to 1998 when he resigned to run for Governor of Florida, ultimately becoming the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor as Buddy MacKay’s running mate.
