Who is John Kline and what is The Secret Ballot Protection Act [SBPA]?
I’m afraid we’re about to find out.
Representing Minnesota’s 2nd District, Kline will probably chair the House Education and Labor Committee when republicans take control in January.
He’s a key player behind SBPA which is the anti-EFCA.
Remember the Employee Free Choice Act, a modest labor law reform designed to make union organizing slightly less daunting?
That was smothered in 2009 by a Senate filibuster threat and an administration "strategy" to delay the fight until health care and other matters were off the table.
While EFCA would have authorized "card check" certification to show majority support for the union (currently an option when employers are pressured to abide), Kline’s bill would permanently prohibit card check under any and all circumstances.
Rep. Kline may preside over other issues as well, such as restricting union political spending and rolling back prevailing wage for construction workers.
Of course, we all know that any house-passed anti-union legislation will be killed in the senate or by presidential veto.
Democrats will then certainly let us know how important they are; that they’re the only thing standing between the barbarians and working people.
Democrats are very comfortable in that role: telling us how bad it would be without them.