Nothing will kill an economic recovery more completely than increasing the number of unions in the private sector.
It's union wages, health care and layoff packages, after all, that have brought the American car manufacturing industry to its knees.
Nor have unions done public education or government efficiency any favors.
And yet, Congress is considering a bill that would make it infinitely easier for unions to spread -- and for union bosses to use heavy-handed intimidation to "encourage" workers to join.
The so-called Employee Free Choice Act -- an Orwellian title for a bill if there ever was one -- would allow a company's workers to unionize if only a slim majority sign a card requesting it.
That alone doesn't sound so ominous, but consider the particulars: Workers would be asked to sign the card knowing that union organizers -- who haven't always had a glistening reputation -- will know whether they signed or not.
That's free choice?
The truth is, workers have more of a free choice now, with a secret ballot. But that would be gone under this bill, also known as "card check," and with it would be gone any opportunity for workers to express their true feelings on unionizing in the safety and security of anonymity.
That safety and security of a secret ballot is an American birthright. But Congress -- now in control of a union-friendly majority -- is on the verge of taking it away.
This bill would kill an already crippled U.S. manufacturing base and fundamentally and forever change the American landscape. It would irreparably damage America's ability to compete in an increasingly mechanized and interdependent world.
U.S. manufacturers need lower costs, not higher. The U.S. corporate tax is higher than almost every other industrialized nation. Between regulation, taxation and litigation -- and foolhardy trading practices that give our competitors a steep edge -- U.S. manufacturers already exist on an uneven plane. Increasing costs through a higher incidence of unions could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Georgia's two senators can be counted on to oppose the card check bill. So can conservative Rep. Paul Broun.
Democrat Rep. John Barrow's office says he is still studying the matter. It's possible that, if Barrow concludes the bill will pass the House even without his support, he might vote against it as a show of unity with his constituents, a majority of whom no doubt oppose it.
We would rather Mr. Barrow not wait, and come out forcefully against card check -- both as a defense of the American principle of a secret ballot, and as a statement that he will protect American businesses.
Regardless, this threat to workers' secret ballots and to the U.S. economy must be turned back.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Open ballots are a bad idea. Yes, unions are corrupt these days. Unfortunately in some instances they could still be useful as things are heavy handed the other way sometimes. Unions are only part of the problem for Detroit automakers. Their management, uninspired products and lack of reliability are also to contribute. If gas prices shoot up again it would hurt any recovery from recession just as quickly as anything the unions do.
The National Socialists Workers Democrat Party is just repeating history. They were very powerful during the '30's and '40's in central Europe. It seems with the current administration and leaders in congress they're about to make their move again. Uninformed American voters have shackled the country real good this time. As far as Orwellian names for hard left agenda, how about "earned income credit" and "fairness doctrine". It's like every day is "opposite day" when the left names their laws.
UAW as majority owners of Chrysler. Has anyone read "The Communist Manafesto?" Those who see no problem with this, have not read it.
I have read "The Communist Manafesto?" as you call it. I like to think out and reason obviously idiotic proposals all on their own merit! I don't call it communist ... I call it Moronic!
the right-wing has credibility on the economy?
yes, shivas, they do. Repubs don't, but conservatives do.
shivas don't be a puppet any longer. Remember how gas went to $4 per gallon just as the campaign/election season started '08. Why was that?? Ever heard of OPEC? A collection of oil producing countries that chose to cut production around that time, and kept cutting til it was over $100 a barrel. Oh yeah, over half of those countries are openly anti-american. That's when things fell apart, as far as the economy goes. Almost like they planed it, huh.
In this world, there are two kind of people: Winners & losers. Union workers are winners. Their retirement plans are excellent and they live a full life after retirement. Non-union workers are losers. They will continue to work after retirement-age because they must. Their health is poor and the ultimate "box" comes sooner. Now the choice: Which is the better system?
Justus4, these kooks on here will never get it. They've had it pounded into them since the womb. They haven't a clue. They are brainwashed with the plantation mentality that still permeates in today's corporate world. Amazingly to me, most of them are in the same boat as everyone else and would benefit from most of the policies they decry. They hold the right to greed as sacredly as they hold the right to carry concealed weapons. In their minds, the "American Way" is the freedom to exploit others for monetary gain, even as many of them are being exploited themselves. They'll thump the Bible while they tell you this, too. Without a Christian tenet in their miserable souls, they champion unfettered capitalism and scream communist to anyone who points out that the profits might not be divied up just right. They won't go back and take a look at why unions became prevalent in the first place: impossible working conditions, unfair pay practices, and even murder. They don't want to know. They see the world changing and they are afraid of it. Being a white, psuedo-Christian just doesn't carry the same weight that it once did, and they've got to blame it on somebody.
Guys, if the company can't pay future retirments, the retirees are losers. You have to turn a profit and make money for investors if you want the company to do well and pay employees well. There is no magic solution that allows it to happen any other way.
If the company can't pay retirement benefits, it's because the company hasn't been run properly. These guys in the boardrooms are the most successful crooks of all time.
What we do not need is more union workers receiving full salary for doing nothing, leaders trips to Maimi attended by the Vice-President that can not be covered by the media and millions of dollars in political donations that could be better used to help the union workers families.
No rights are sacred at work including the secret ballot. Without a work contract whether it be a union contract or the CEOs contract, none of the "Bill of Rights" apply inside the Owner's fence.
Anyone that has ever gone through a so called "secret ballot" election can tell you that the "Boss man" or his hired consultants Know how employees are going to vote. I won't go into any long discusions about the flaws in the "secret ballot"system because that is not really what this fight is all about. Nor does the Employee Free Choice Act eliminate employees "right" to a secret ballott, it merely gives that "choice" to the employees instead of the boss man.
There is a Compromise proposal being floated around that elimiantes the "card check" and arbitration secetions of the Employee Free Choice Act. The opposition to the Act has not sofentened nor wavered.
This fight is really about whether Greed or Fairness rules in the workplace. The "Greed Is Good" mentatlity has prevailed for 37 years and has brought us the "S&L Scandal" the "Technology Bubble and burst", the "Real Estate Bubble and burst.
Unions help build the best economic period in the history of our nation.
Hobo lobo...You seem to know everything today...You almost sound as kooky as Justice. You and your ilk that want everything handed to them, will not work in todays economy. Each person should be responcible for their retirement and not someone else to "do it for them". If you hate the corporate world so much go out own your own and start your own business. You sound a little like the class envy crowd with all your hate. Unions have cost many people to lose jobs and more businesses to close than you would care to admit. The unions are good for protecting the lazy and non-productive as long as they can collect dues. Also, I don't thump my bible in public, but I have had to thump my pistol on one occassion.
UAW is about to become the majority stockholder in Crysler and a large stockholder in GM, now do you think the next contract negotiation with Ford will go? Personally, I will not buy a car from a company jointly owned by the government and UAW. If UAW drives Ford into bankruptcy and UAW ownership also, I will go with Toyota.
Georgia's#1. looks like they've got hold of you real good. What a measured, rational rebut. Thumpin' your pistol, eh? You sound like a real tough customer. Spend a little money on some more history books instead of bullets. A little education goes a long way (for most, anyway).
Unions were needed in the early 20th century and served a purpose. However, they have out grown their usefulness, become corrupt and over paid. Why should a high school drop out putting lug nuts on a wheel be paid $70 bucks an hour? Why, if a plant closes, should workers continue to be paid by the comoany whose plant is closed? Why should a worker pay dues to support some politician he opposes? Capitalism is the system that has made this country the most economically powerful in the world. Capitalism is NOT the same as greed. Perhaps you and you other union supporters should take a look at how much is being stolen from YOU by the union leadership. They are just as bad or worse than those CEOs you call greedy. BTW, I don't have a "little" educaton. I have a lot and have studied this very subject.
I haven't bought an American made car in about 30 years. Wonder why? Let's see how long Chrsler will last with the Union in charge. Speaking of socialism, the union owns the majority of the stock/company but the govrenment gets to appoint 4 of the board of directors and the union 1.
ThurstonHowell, if you actually read the news you would have noticed that OPEC tried to help bring down the gas prices, but it was not OPEC keeping them inflated, it was the gas refineries and the stock prices of oil. If anything it showed that there are flaws with capitalism, as with anything, due to greed. Jack, if you studied the subject, you did not study it subjectively.
down with unions, the majority are overpaid, crybabies who lack any type of FORMAL education. I see it everyday.
Let's make the USA a union paradise like France, where corporations are just fighting to go and begin operations. Wait a minute...nevermind!
The UAW is not the majority stockholder in Chrysler it is the the retiree's health insurance fund that took the stock in lieu of cash. In order to pay benefits the fund must sell the stock as sooon as it is economically feasible. Mr. Getlefinger, President of the UAW said, "I do not want to be in controll of Chrysler or any other company. That is not the role of my uinion."
And to those that think unions were once needed but are no longer you should visit a place where there are no unions and see how "enlightened US corporations treat emnployees. The reasonm you have the luxury of thinking unions are no longer needed is precisely because we actually have unions and because of the worker protections union have fought so hard for.
I am a Capitalist but without unions and without government intervention true free market capitalism would starve three quarters of the populatation so the other 25% could live in luxury. Does anyone now really believe that the unrestrainned, unregulated "Cowboy Capitalism" of the last 8 years was a good economic system?
It doesn't have anything to do with cowboy capitalism but the greed of all americans. Most Americans had a piece of the pie in the market and their 401Ks were growing. Everybody was spending and no one was saving, AND many spent beyond their means and kept borrowing-often against their homes which were now treated like bonds and a commodity. It was a perfect storm event. Capitalism isn't unregulated as anti-monopoly laws etc attest. The unions are sound in theory but often corrupt in practice-much like Congress.
Orwellian title! Wicked union recruiters! Bad unions, bad unions! Yet even in your "unions equal apocalypse" zeal, you forgot to mention the seven plagues or the golden cup of Babylonian prostitute abomination that will pour down upon us if this evil bill passes. Oh, the sores! Oh, the blood! Oh the heat! Oh, hail! Yawn.
jack, high schools dropouts DO NOT make $2,800.00 a week -- unions or no unions. High School dropouts barely make $250.00 a week with a union. So that is nonsense.
And no secret ballot will be threatened under the Employee Free Choice Act. Meaning that the ACES are telling a bold-faced lie about this bill and they ought to be ashamed of themselves for it.
Clearly willistontown never read the bill....did you....If you did, you didn't understand the part about card check.
willi, your 4:49 post is typical for you. 100% wrong 100% of the time.
lowellbrown, while your 4:28 is an apparent attempt at humor, it misses the point. The secret ballot is lost and unions DO have a well earned reputation.
There are good things and bad things about unions, and I have experienced both, as both an hourly worker and as a manager. They are neither all good, nor all bad.