Under the Radar - the EFCA

Regardless of experience level, all HR pros need to take the time to fully become aware of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)   Labor unions hope this act, that recently passed in the House and will begin hearings in the Senate later this month, will compensate for their dwindling persuasiveness as they try to persuade workers to join.  It would allow unions to organize workplaces without workers voting for unionization in elections with secret ballots. Instead, unions could use the "card check" system, and once a majority of a company's employees signs a card expressing consent, the union is automatically certified as the bargaining agent for all the workers.  If signed into law, employers lose the right to tell their side of the story via collateral like that pictured to the right...

Among the leaders in covering the topic is the Union-Free Employer.  Among the recent notes from Seth Borden of KMB:

"While Republican lawmakers are contemplating a filibuster, and President George W. Bush has indicated that he will likely veto the Act, employers must take this issue very seriously all the same. This law is intended to bring about the largest wave of union organizing that private industry has seen in decades."

When you stop and read this piece of legislation, it's stunning to see how anti-employee this bill is.  Ability for an employee to keep their feelings about unionization private?  Gone.  Ability for employee to listen to and carefully contemplate both sides of an argument?  Gone.  Ability for an employee to vote in an election via the democratic process we all take for granted?  Priceless, but gone if the EFCA makes it through.

Read up on the bill and write everyone in Washington you can think of.  Why haven't I got about 30 email blasts from SHRM on this one?

Comments

[Evil HR Lady]

That's really an important piece of legislation to be aware of. It sounds bad for everyone but the union bosses.