Posted on 02/04/2009 7:51:17 PM PST by markomalley
Simmering labor legislation reached a boiling point on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, February 4.
Hundreds of union workers and other supporters of a bill that would make it easier for employees to establish bargaining units gathered in a rally across the street from the Senate.
The event marked the launch of an aggressive effort by organized labor to gain congressional approval—and a presidential signature—for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that will be introduced soon.
The measure would allow workers to form a union by signing cards and prevent companies from demanding a secret-ballot election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board.
After the rally, workers were to begin delivering petitions they said contained 1.5 million signatures of support for the bill.
Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce vowed to ramp up its campaign against the legislation, and the National Association of Manufacturers sent 50 executives and other corporate leaders to Congress to lobby against it.
“This is a bill that will be no less than a firestorm on Capitol Hill,” said Randel Johnson, vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits at the chamber.
During the last Congress, the legislation was approved by the House but was blocked in the Senate. Democrats there are hopeful that their larger majority, which is now 59 pending the final results of a Minnesota race, will help allow them to overcome a filibuster with 60 votes.
In addition, President Barack Obama touted the bill, which he co-sponsored in the Senate, during his campaign last fall. But since the election, Obama has been reticent about the legislation.
He didn’t highlight it when announcing Rep. Hilda Solis as his nominee for labor secretary. Solis declined to state a position on the bill in her Senate hearing despite having voted for it in the House.
The first employment bill Obama signed was a pay discrimination measure. He followed that by signing three executive orders that bolster unions at federal contractors.
But so far the new Congress lacks its version of the Employee Free Choice Act. Rep. George Miller, D-California and chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said the measure would be introduced shortly.
“Soon. No more than weeks,” he told reporters while making his way from the rally back to his office.
In his exhortations to the crowd, Miller said that the bill would enable workers to join unions without being intimidated by their bosses.
That would give them leverage to raise their wages, increase their benefits and get their fair portion of the gains from their productivity, which is now going to “corporate elites,” such as executives and shareholders, according to Miller.
“You’re entitled to share in your productivity, your creativity, your hard work,” Miller said.
Detractors assert that the bill violates workers’ right to a secret-ballot union election, making them vulnerable to intimidation tactics from union leaders. Supporters say the bill gives workers a choice between a secret ballot and a card-check process.
Opponents also worry about a provision that would send a first contract to binding arbitration within 120 days if labor and management cannot reach an agreement. They say that would give the government unprecedented power over pay, benefits and work rules. Advocates say the timeline ensures that the first contract won’t be delayed to death.
The bill is the top priority for organized labor. The AFL-CIO was not shy in pointing out the day after the election that it spent $250 million and set up extensive grass-roots networks to help elect Obama and other Democrats.
The Chamber of Commerce refuses to back down. Since last spring, it has spent $10 million opposing the card-check bill and will “substantially increase” that amount in coming weeks, according to Steven Law, the chamber’s chief legal officer and general counsel.
As the war begins, neither side is contemplating compromise.
“It will pass,” Miller said.
The business community also is digging in. “There is not a middle ground on this bill,” Johnson said.
To achieve their goal, business advocates will have to keep all 41 GOP senators on board for a filibuster or persuade some Southern Democrats from right-to-work states to come over to their side.
Both supporters and opponents of the bill say that building support will be more difficult this year because members know that if Congress approves the legislation, a Democratic president is ready to sign it into law. Without a presidential veto looming, there will be no “free vote.”
What mess we will have if it passes.
If you think unemployment is bad now, just wait until you see what this is going to do. Like Pelosi said, “500 million unemployed per month.”
That would give them leverage to raise their wages, increase their benefits and get their fair portion of the gains from their productivity, which is now going to “corporate elites,” such as executives and shareholders, according to Miller.
LOL...wow, what an idiot...apparently shareholders are now “elitests”...I guess this wise sage of a congressman doesn’t understand that many “average Americans” hold shares of many many companies via 401ks, IRAs and individual stock purchases. I guess I can stroll into work tomorrow and let everyone know I am one of the “corporate elistists” since I have stock in our own company!!
What fools...
No worries. There won't be any more executives or share holders or jobs. There will be lots of work for folks in other countries. There will be lots of union members on permanent unemployment.
Unless you work for yourself, you don't get paid what you think you are worth, you are paid what the job is worth.
If you don't want to be paid minimum wage, don't work at McDonald's.
The bill is the top priority for organized labor. The AFL-CIO was not shy in pointing out the day after the election that it spent $250 million and set up extensive grass-roots networks to help elect Obama and other Democrats.
Didn't Obama say that the big lobbies and special interests wouldn't sway government policy?
Oh, my mistake, a big labor union that spends $250 million to get a man elected in the hopes of getting favorable treatment, can never be considered a "special interest".
That's a lotta people. Did we annex Mexico and Central America?
Maybe Canada, too? ................. FRegards
Yup.
I’ve got a little hobby manufacturing business in addition to my consulting firm. I can guarantee that if card check passes, I’m going to ship all the work I can overseas - and until now I’ve made a point of doing the best I can to get stuff made/treated/packaged/etc here.
I compete against foreign firms in *their* markets. I cannot afford to have my quality reduced by American unions.
“were to begin delivering petitions they said contained 1.5 million signatures of support for the bill.”
Not enough signatures. Given that it will devastate the rest of the 300 million citizens of this country.
I don’t think so. Let’s look at the match up.
The unions sent 1.5 million v. NAM’s 50 CEOs. Assuming NAM feels they sent enough, that is one CEO per 30,000 union workers and NAM is expecting to win. They could tilt the balance of power just by supplementing their numbers with a platoon of CFOs and a nimble squad of Executive VPs (used in a SF capacity)
That doesn’t even count the CEOs from the US Chamber.
The last gasps of the great experiment.
Pay back
Great, biting the hand that feeds you. I would fire any employees that threaten to join a union, and if that doesn't work I'd simply close shop.
That's actually illegal.
Just close.
I can’t think of a single private union dominated industry that is prosperous. Card check will export the problems of the auto industry to the rest of the economy.
But, at least we can be proud that “social justice” has arrived.
Apparently you haven't been shopping recently. Lots, I dare say most, of the stuff we buy everyday is manufactured outside the country. Aside from Harley, who makes motorcycles? Aside from the big 3 money losers, who makes cars? Who makes the motherboards for your desktop or the laptop? Aside from Micron, who manufactures computer memory? Who makes most of the clothing we buy today? We have huge trade deficits for a reason. We're buying lots of stuff made outside the USA.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.