Card Check
The Employee Free Choice Act (a.k.a Card Check) was introduced in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate in March, 2009. This legislation poses a great threat to the business community by including provisions that would eliminate an employee’s right to a secret ballot, require mandatory arbitration, increase fines and penalties for employers, and impose two-year contract terms, among others.
While the legislation contains a number of harmful provisions, the Card Check component of the bill served as the impetus for a number of key Senate Democrats to publicly oppose the bill.
Essentially, Card Check would make it easier for unions to organize. Currently, employees are able to cast their vote for or against a union in private, and employers have the ability to talk openly with their staff about the implications unionization would have on their workplace. If passed, Card Check would not only certify a union via majority sign-up, but it would impose harsh financial penalties on employers, require mandatory arbitration, and impose two-year contract terms on employees and employers.
Recent discussions are being reported regarding a possible Card Check compromise that would result in the elimination of the Card Check provision from the bill. This effort is reportedly being led by Senator Harkin (D-IA), in hopes that removing the Card Check component will make the bill more palatable for those Senate Democrats who have opposed the bill in the past.
While the elimination of the Card Check Component of the bill is positive, the legislation continues to contain a handful of additional provisions, such as mandatory arbitration, which continue to pose an equal, if not greater, threat to the small business community.
Click HERE to access a brief video introduction to Card Check.
Find out more about Card Check, the impact it has on employers and employees, and how you can get prepared and get involved.