American unions are in decline. Perhaps because workers see what unions did to our auto industry, or the historical mob connections. Or the fact that the main beneficiaries of unions are the leaders.

But big union organizers have decided to reverse this. Not by offering a better product; making unions more worthwhile for average employees to join. But by pleading for the government to make it easier for unions to intimidate potential union members to join.

That is, unions and big labor support the Orwellian named "Employee Free Choice Act", which would remove an election with secret ballots as a requirement for forming a union. Once unions got a simple majority of workers in a business to sign a card saying they want to join a union, a union would be formed, with no election held.

Of course, a secret ballot is perhaps the fundamental part of free elections; it means no one can find out how you voted and intimidate you based on that. Unions say this bill would prevent employers from harassing employees, as though a secret ballot doesn't prevent that for most workers.

Unions, needless to say, don't point out that removing secret balloting makes it a lot easier for them to harass and intimidate every employee who doesn't sign a union card (like by posting maps to the homes of workers who don't comply). They'll know who hasn't signed, and will be able to ask again and again, EU treaty style, until they get the right answer. Except unions have a taste for getting physical with those who stand up to them. And then all unions have to do is persuade workers to sign a card by using whatever manipulation tactic, usually pointedly devoid of discussion of the actual implications of a union contract, and concentrating on agitation against perceived slights from management.

This act removes the ability for workers to make a free and considered choice. Like saying an election takes place after enough voters sign cards saying they support the GOP ticket after listening to only republican supporters.

An in-depth article on the folly of this bill is here:
http://www.heritage.org/research/Labor/bg2027.cfm

CR