GEORGE MCGOVERN BLASTS
THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT – AGAIN!
George McGovern, former senator and presidential candidate known for his liberal viewpoints, has once again blasted the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) for its proposed debasement of democratic practices. His criticism appears on the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal.
He was particularly irked by the fact that if employers and unions cannot reach agreements then the government will step in and impose, in each case, binding arbitration.
Under the National Labor Relations Act, which has been in place since 1935, employers are free to reject union demands, and unions can strike if they are dissatisfied with employer proposals. If, however, the EFCA becomes law, then government bureaucrats with little understanding of the unique subtleties of various positions will impose their own solutions. Such a process is hardly in keeping with the principles of collective bargaining.
Former Senator McGovern wrote: “A federally appointed arbitrator cannot be expected to understand the nuances specific to each business dispute, the competitive market position of the business, or the plethora of other factors unique to each case…. Compulsory arbitration is, in one sense, government dictating to employees what they will win or lose in the deal with no opportunity to approve the agreement.”
Such an outcome would be disastrous for Corporate America. Even George Meany, while head of the AFL-CIO, stated that “mandatory arbitration is an abrogation of freedom.”
Should Congress pass the EFCA (which seems more likely now that Senator Specter has switched parties) and should President Obama sign the bill into law, then America will be taking a major step away from the free market principles which have been the basis for the country’s remarkable record of commercial achievements, industrial innovations, and the creation of one of the most affluent societies in the history of the world.
Showing posts with label Cabot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cabot. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
OBAMA'S PRO-LABOR ADMINISTRATION
OBAMA’S PRO-LABOR ADMINISTRATION
In addition to Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor, who comes from a strongly pro-union family, the Obama administration is full of many pro-labor advocates who will do what is necessary to consummate the successful passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The list of pro-labor members of the current administration includes the following:
Parrick Gaspard, a political director in the White House, had been executive VP for legislation for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Ronald W. Bloom, who had been an assistant to the president of the United Steelworkers of America, is a member of the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry.
J. Randolph Babbitt, who had been president of the Air Line Pilots Association, is now an FAA Administrator.
T. Michael Kerr, an Assistant Labor Secretary, has worked for AFSCME and the SEIU.
Wilma Liebman, who will serve as chair of the NLRB, had previously served as counsel to the Bricklayers and Teamsters Unions.
Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator, had been the Illinois legislative director of the United Transportation Union.
Helen Kanovsky, general counsel at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, had previously worked for the AFL-CIO.
The list goes on and on, and it is apparent that the Obama Administration will be profoundly pro-labor. It is, therefore, essential that Corporate America develop effective and innovative techniques for dealing effectively with aggressive new union organizing and bargaining policies.
I have recently written an article entitled How Corporate America Can Deal with the Proposed Employee Free Choice Act, which appears on the website of Industry Week magazine and can be found at http://www.industryweek.com/articles/viewpoint_--_how_corporate_america_can_deal_with_the_proposed_employee_free_choice_act_18884.aspx
In addition to Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor, who comes from a strongly pro-union family, the Obama administration is full of many pro-labor advocates who will do what is necessary to consummate the successful passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The list of pro-labor members of the current administration includes the following:
Parrick Gaspard, a political director in the White House, had been executive VP for legislation for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Ronald W. Bloom, who had been an assistant to the president of the United Steelworkers of America, is a member of the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry.
J. Randolph Babbitt, who had been president of the Air Line Pilots Association, is now an FAA Administrator.
T. Michael Kerr, an Assistant Labor Secretary, has worked for AFSCME and the SEIU.
Wilma Liebman, who will serve as chair of the NLRB, had previously served as counsel to the Bricklayers and Teamsters Unions.
Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator, had been the Illinois legislative director of the United Transportation Union.
Helen Kanovsky, general counsel at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, had previously worked for the AFL-CIO.
The list goes on and on, and it is apparent that the Obama Administration will be profoundly pro-labor. It is, therefore, essential that Corporate America develop effective and innovative techniques for dealing effectively with aggressive new union organizing and bargaining policies.
I have recently written an article entitled How Corporate America Can Deal with the Proposed Employee Free Choice Act, which appears on the website of Industry Week magazine and can be found at http://www.industryweek.com/articles/viewpoint_--_how_corporate_america_can_deal_with_the_proposed_employee_free_choice_act_18884.aspx
Friday, March 27, 2009
SENATOR SPECTER & THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT
Senator Arlen Specter (R- Pennsylvania) has ostensibly spoken out against the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA); yet, one can infer from his words, that a compromise might be acceptable.
Senator Specter started out by saying that “the bill’s requirement for compulsory arbitration if an agreement is not reached within 120 days may subject the employer to a deal he or she cannot live with. Such arbitration runs contrary to the basic tenet of the Wagner Act for collective bargaining, which makes the employer liable only for a deal he or she agrees to.” He added that “the problems of the recession make this a particularly bad time to enact [the] Employees’ Free Choice legislation. If [however] efforts are unsuccessful to give labor sufficient bargaining power through amendments to the NLRA, then I would be willing to reconsider [the] Employees’ Free Choice legislation when the economy returns to normalcy.”
The Senator emphasized that his decision was “a close call” and that “labor has a valid point that they have suffered greatly from outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries and losses in pension and health benefits.” Again, he suggested revisions to the National Labor Relations Act, which further indicates that a compromise may be in the offing
The make-up of the Senate, which would be 59 to 40 if Al Franken is seated, would make Senator Specter’s vote the one that could deicide passage of the EFCA, which at this point will sail through a Democratically controlled House of Representatives.
At this time, Corporate America must not only keep up the pressure on its elected representatives to defeat the probable passage of even a watered-down EFCA, but it must also prepare for its possible passage by initiating effective pro-management strategies.
Senator Specter started out by saying that “the bill’s requirement for compulsory arbitration if an agreement is not reached within 120 days may subject the employer to a deal he or she cannot live with. Such arbitration runs contrary to the basic tenet of the Wagner Act for collective bargaining, which makes the employer liable only for a deal he or she agrees to.” He added that “the problems of the recession make this a particularly bad time to enact [the] Employees’ Free Choice legislation. If [however] efforts are unsuccessful to give labor sufficient bargaining power through amendments to the NLRA, then I would be willing to reconsider [the] Employees’ Free Choice legislation when the economy returns to normalcy.”
The Senator emphasized that his decision was “a close call” and that “labor has a valid point that they have suffered greatly from outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries and losses in pension and health benefits.” Again, he suggested revisions to the National Labor Relations Act, which further indicates that a compromise may be in the offing
The make-up of the Senate, which would be 59 to 40 if Al Franken is seated, would make Senator Specter’s vote the one that could deicide passage of the EFCA, which at this point will sail through a Democratically controlled House of Representatives.
At this time, Corporate America must not only keep up the pressure on its elected representatives to defeat the probable passage of even a watered-down EFCA, but it must also prepare for its possible passage by initiating effective pro-management strategies.
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