Buried today on the back page of the business section of the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
"Law Would Facilitate Recognition of Unions":
The AFL-CIO yesterday held a "town hall forum" at the Pittsburgh Hilton to press for passage of legislation that would require employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing union representation.
The legislation, known as the Employee Free Choice Act, also would provide for mediation and arbitration of first contract disputes and authorize stronger penalties for violations.
There is no discussion in this pathetic excuse of an article- or elsewhere in the MSM- of why current and potential union members feel that the Employee Free Choice Act is necessary.
-continued below-
Union membership, particulatly in the private sector, is at an all-time low. Is this because Americans are happy at their jobs, accept the working conditions they face and the pay and benefits they receive in return, and feel respected at work? No, it's because businesses have perfected the art of
union avoidance.
Some tactics bosses use are legal, others are illegal. They lie to workers, confuse them with graphs and statistics, intimidate some workers, make promises to others, promote some workers and fire others. It doesn't matter if they break the law, chances are they won't get caught or the harassed employee will opt to just move on. It doesn't even matter if they're caught, as penalties for breaking labor laws are often less than the demands of a strong union. The bosses have an incentive to break the law. Hell, they practically have a responsibility to their shareholders.
That's why the Employee Free Choice Act is needed, but of course it won't be passing anytime soon. But when we retake the Congress, when progressives are able to be pro-active instead of defenses, this act needs to be a top priority of the Democrats.
Some unenlightened folks may say, why pander to organize labor, it's a declining portion of the electorate. What this is about is granting all workers who wish to make improvements at their workplace the right and opportunity to do so.
And a hell of a lot of people are in that boat.