Anti-Card Check Forces Mobilize

With an eye on the new Congress’ early agenda, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) has kicked off a campaign to discredit the Employee Free

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With an eye on the new Congress’ early agenda, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) has kicked off a campaign to discredit the Employee Free Choice Act, which calls for an end to the long-established practice of secret balloting for workers voting on union representation. An umbrella group representing more than 500 worker, employer and other business organizations, CDW also is planning a full-scale media blitz explaining to its members and the public why the act poses a threat to future union organizing by replacing secret balloting with a system Û known as card check Û that makes public to an employer, union organizers and co-workers which way an employee votes.

Although Senate Democrats have not announced when an Employee Free Choice Act bill will be reintroduced to the 111th Congress, the legislation as previously proposed does have backing from Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). A previous version of this bill passed the House in 2007, but fell nine votes short of the three-fifths majority needed to clear the Senate. At the time, then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama supported the measure, which was seen as union friendly, since it was believed it would make unionizing easier. Still, even before the President-elect took office, several industry associations and organizations joined the CDW, primarily to preserve the secret balloting practice.

Among those member groups of CDW are the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Portland Cement Association, Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Manufacturers, National Mining Association, Associated Builders & Contractors, Associated General Contractors, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association.