WATSONTOWN - Representatives from manufacturer associations provided a labor policy forum on Thursday at the Watson Inn to discuss the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, which they termed the Employee Forced Choice Act.
The act was proposed to both state houses in March. If passed, the legislation will change the National Labor Relations Act to alleviate the process for employees when forming and joining labor organizations.
According to the panelists, labor membership grew in 2008 for the second consecutive year. They asserted that employees who wish to join unions already are able to do so.
According to the panelists, employees would lose the right to a private ballot by the new "card check" system.
Under the check card system, employees may receive an empty card from an existing union. Once 30 percent of the employees for the specified business sign the card, the employer must provide a secret ballot to decide if unionization will occur.
"That is something that shows the labor unions aren't looking at the employees' best interest and making sure that they have been educated and understand the costs and benefits of union membership," said David Taylor, executive director of Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association.
Unions disagree with that assessment.
"With the current law the way it is, it allows employers to drag their feet. In some cases it may be a year before negotiations are made. This is a right that people should have. They need the mutual ground between them and the employer," said Kathy Dershem, president of the Service Employees International Union at the Susque-View Home in Lock Haven.
"Big corporations have been using misinformation about the secret ballot in their multi-million dollar campaign to oppose employee free choice. The truth is the proposed legislation would not affect the option for workers to hold a secret ballot election. Workers can still do that," said Karen Backus, SEIU's senior communications specialist.
Another aspect of the proposed legislation would give employees and employers 120 days to reach contract negotiations. If it is not met in 120 days, either party could have the government intervene. This federal arbitration panel will set a two-year binding contract.
According to Keith Smith, director of employment and labor policy for the National Association of Manufacturers, we see this as forced government contract.
"Never before have employers been forced to live under a contract to which they did not consent," Taylor said.
"This is a right that people have. When a boss doesn't want you to do something, you should understand why before just accepting it. Why would the people want a union if they didn't need it," Dershem said.
The manufacturing representatives and unions stand firmly on their opposing ends of this debate. For more information on union and manufacturer's views on this topic, visit their Web sites respectively at www.freechoiceact.org or www.nam.org/efca.
