Talking Points: Employers to Opinion Leaders

Talking Points - Employers to Opinion Leaders

In a time when local businesses are already facing tough issues, card check takes away employers’ right to reach out to their employees and educate them prior to a union election.
Under card check, it is possible for a union to organize a facility without the employer ever knowing the union was there.

Card check streamlines the union recognition process and takes away workers’ right to cast their votes in private for or against a union. It may even take away their voice completely.
If a majority of workers sign a union authorization card, workers could be forced to be represented by the union even if they are never given the opportunity to voice their position on the issue.
The decision to join or be represented by a union is a personal one that should be made by a worker and his or her family. By taking away their right to cast their votes in private, card check makes that decision public and opens workers to harassment and intimidation by fellow employees and union members in an attempt to get them to sign authorization cards.

No matter what the issue, we believe everyone should have the right to make his or her voice heard without fear and intimidation, through a private vote – after having a chance to hear both sides on the pros and cons of union representation.
The current union recognition process allows both the union and the employer to make their cases to employees, and gives employees the opportunity to keep their decisions and their votes private.
Even unions know that an authorization card signed in public is not a good measure of a worker’s desire to join a union. Before moving forward with an election, even under today’s rules unions prefer to obtain signed authorization cards from 75% of workers – knowing that only then do they have a 50% likelihood of winning a private election.
We believe wages, benefits and work rules should be determined by employers and their employees – not by a government-appointed third party.

Take the time to learn more about EFCA and consider how it would impact your business, your employees and our community. Go to www.WeAreManufacturers.com for information resources.
If you agree that card check is a bad idea, make your voice heard by contacting your members of Congress, writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, and encouraging your employees and business colleagues to do the same.
Click here for tips to make your voice heard.