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Labor law changes not good for state
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Published: March 15, 2009
North Carolina has benefited greatly from being a right-to-work state over the last several decades.
This right allows someone who works in a unionized business to make a choice of joining the union or not. The right-to-work statute may soon be revoked. Should this happen, all employees in unionized companies may be required to pay union dues, regardless of their support (or lack of support) for the union. It seems odd that North Carolinians would support the abolishment of those statutes.
Under current labor law, when union officials file a petition for representation in a business, there is a 42-day period of discussion that culminates in a secret ballot. Under legislation introduced last week in the U.S. House (H.B. 1409) and U.S. Senate (S. 560), recognized as "card check" or the Employee Free Choice Act, secret-ballot elections will be no longer be held. Union representatives will simply need to seek 50 percent plus one employee to sign a union authorization card and the union will be in place.
Under current law, an employer will have an opportunity to discuss openly with employees the value of non-unionization. Each group has 42 days to pitch its case. Even more importantly, employees, without coersion on behalf of the employer or the union, can cast their votes according to their conscience in a secret ballot.
Under the proposed legislation, the opportunity for coersion, misinformation and intimidation of employees is imminent. Aren't secret ballots critical to a democratic society?
Under the proposed legislation, bargaining with the new union must begin within 10 days of the union demand. If no agreement is reached within 90 days, the federal government will be called in to develop binding arbitration. Imagine owning a business for years and putting your life savings into it.
You've chosen to treat your employees well, but, unbeknownst to you, organizers have targeted your business, promising the world to your employees. One day you wake up hoping you have control over the costs of goods or services provided and the next day you find that you no longer have control over those costs. Why would the government opt to make it less worthwhile to go into business for yourself?
Unions have served a purpose. There have been times in which employers were less responsible for the provision of justified wages, benefits and environments. Collective bargaining was an appropriate action. The rapidly declining membership in labor unions (8 percent nationally and 3.2 percent in North Carolina) would suggest that a good relational balance has been reached.
The past 12 months have seen the economic environment change unlike any time in recent history.
The unemployment rate in Iredell County, as of December 2008, was 9.2 percent. There are occasional hopeful signs that the economy is beginning to positively churn and I have confidence more good news will be forthcoming. The key to economic stability is job creation in the private sector.
When businesses are able to employ people to profitably provide a business or service, there is a positive ripple effect throughout the community. It is incumbent on our political leadership to encourage job growth. These bills being considered for passage in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are probably not good at any time. These bills, under the current economic climate, are incredibly detrimental to economic growth and stability.
The Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has adopted a resolution in opposition to these bills. Whether you agree that these bills are destructive to our current and future economic stability or you disagree, please take this opportunity to call or write our congressional delegation to let them know how you feel.
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