Until there are real consequences for employers’ intimidation of employees, the secret ballot union election is flawed. EFCA makes the playing field less tilted towards employers by giving employees more control of their choice of a representative. For over 70 years, a union could become the representative based on a “card check” in which a majority of employees say they want the union . . . but only if the employer agrees. Under EFCA, if a majority of employees say they want union representation—and the NLRB certifies that the cards are valid and weren’t coerced—then the employer must respect the employees’ choice.

The fear of union intimidation is also overplayed. The number of elections involving unions coercion is tiny, especially compared to employers’ use of intimidation. And ask yourself this: who would you rather say no to, some union representative that you may never see again or your employer, who with one stroke of the pen can take away your salary, health insurance, and pension contributions?

No, the inaptly named “Employee Free Choice Act” will do nothing of the kind. It destroys the democratic process and forces union employees to be open to coercion by union thugs to vote the union line. Why? Because any “no” vote would be open for EVERYONE to see and this way the union thugs can target the people voting against the union line. This allows union thugs to see who they need to attack verbally and otherwise to “change their minds” to get a vote the union wants.

THAT is what will result with this legislation. Further union lock on power, employees will lose their freedom to vote the way they want, and our economy will take a hit because of it.

In an ideal world, a secret ballot election might be an ideal way to determine employees’ choice regarding unionization. In the real world, the union election process has too often become anti-democratic.

Employers’ power over employees and the workplace gives them overwhelming built-in advantages that no incumbent union has in a democratic political election. Employers bombard employees with anti-union propaganda in mandatory meetings, often one-on-one with employees’ own supervisors.

The Employee Free Choice Act would help allow employees to gain the collective voice in the workplace that many say they want and need to bargain for decent wages and working conditions.