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Argument: EFCA strengthens workers' ability and right to unionize
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Deborah Godwin. "Free Choice Act gives power to workers". Special to The Commercial Appeal. 28 Oct. 2008 - It would require that when a majority of employees have signed authorizations designating the union as their bargaining representative, and the National Labor Relations Board has established the validity of the signed authorizations, the union would then be certified.
[...]Employers practice various forms of economic coercion and the present laws allow employers to indefinitely delay recognition through drawn-out appeals.
It has always been lawful under federal labor law for workers to form their unions by signing authorization cards, and that is not a change. But under current law, companies can reject their workers' union support and refuse to bargain with the union.
It is an insult to the hard-working employees in this country to say that they are not capable of making the free choice to sign a document authorizing union representation and have that be binding. If you can sign a document to buy a car, you should be able to sign a document to unite with co-workers to bargain with your employer for better wages and benefits.
Responsible employers like AT&T, Kaiser Permanente and Harley-Davidson have all voluntarily honored their employees' right to use majority sign-up to choose union representation.
We live in a time when wages for working men and women have stagnated while pay and bonuses for CEOs have skyrocketed. Workers deserve a path to unionization that is fair, quick and not dominated by corporations. The Employee Free Choice Act would restore balance to our labor law and help the economy work for everyone again.
