What you need to know right now, while the debate unfolds in Congress on the Employee Free Choice Act, is how right-wing conservatives, funded by corporate America, are lying to you about it. The big problem with EFCA, the Right tells us, is that it “takes away secret ballot elections” when a group of workers is deciding whether or not to form a union. Despite their hatred for secret ballot elections in their own boardrooms and shareholder meetings, America’s CEO’s now suddenly have a new appreciation for the democratic process when it comes to this law and are demanding that the “secret ballot” be preserved in union organizing drives.

As you might imagine, EFCA’s anti-labor advocates are misrepresenting the bill. A key provision of the Employee Free Choice Act is that workers, (not Management) get to decide whether there will be an election at all or use what’s called “majority sign-up” (also known as “card-check”). The “secret ballot” isn’t going anywhere, it just allows for another option and that the workers, not the CEO’s get to make the decision on which method to use.

Now, you may ask yourself, “why would anybody not want to have a secret ballot election?” That’s a fair enough question. After all, free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. But under the current company-dominated system, union elections are anything but free and fair. The key is the timeline. Right now, it’s the companies that get to decide when the election is held. They often decide to hold the election many months or years into the future, which gives them time to identify, harass, intimidate, and terminate workers who may want to form a union. Think of it this way. Imagine if George W. Bush – realizing that John McCain was going to lose on November 4, just decided to put the presidential election off for a year, hoping that the political winds would change, that the economy would improve, or that Barack Obama might get hit by a bus. Would that seem fair? That’s currently the system that exists under U.S. labor law. The companies get to set the rules and the timelines – the workers have no say. The Employee Free Choice Act threatens business’ control over the process and this is what truly horrifies them.

There is also the matter of whether an election is even needed at all. The other key provision of the Employee Free Choice Act is to recognize majority sign-up. What that means is that if a majority of workers at a company indicate their preference for forming a union by signing an authorization card, then the union must be recognized by all parties involved. What’s the difference between majority sign-up and an election? Not much. Both indicate the will of what the employees’ wishes are. Again we go back to the timeline. Majority sign-up denies Management the time they need to intimidate and fire pro-union employees. Currently an employer can demand a secret ballot election even if a majority of employees has signed authorization cards.

The Employee Free Choice Act in its current form will ultimately be one of the best pieces of pro-worker legislation in a half-century and is the single biggest threat to corporate dominance over working men and women. For that reason – not some bogus threat to a “secret ballot” – expect our well-financed adversaries to say anything to stop it.

Signing in for the day's event

Democrats from five counties flocked to the Hand Farm in Montgomery for the annual “Labor Day” barbecue and party rally. The event, which is coordinated by the Montgomery County Democratic Party and held each year on the first Saturday after the national holiday, is designed to celebrate Labor in the form of unions and workers. It jumpstarts the “politicking” that will dominate the ensuing two months before the 2008 Presidential election. Participating counties included Montgomery as the host county, with Cheatham, Robertson, Davidson and Williamson Counties throwing their support to the event.

Kim McMillan, the first woman elected as majority leader of the State House of Representatives, emcee’d the event, which presented an array of guest speakers including Congressman Lincoln Davis of Tennessee’s 4th District, Gray Sasser, Chairman of the state Democratic Party; Tennessee AFL-CIO President Jerry Lee; State AFL-CIO Organizing Director Stuart Acuff; U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Tuke; and U.S. 7th Congressional District Candidate Randy Morris.

Intent on the Message

Opening ceremonies included the Nashville Firefighters Color Guard, the singing of the National Anthem, an Invocation by Jerry Maynard, and the presentation of an award to Lt. Governor John Wilder.

Honorary Celebration Chairs were filled by Congressmen John Tanner, Bart Gordon and Jim Cooper, Senator Jo Ann Graves and Representative Joe Pitts.

The days festivities included the traditional all-you-can-eat chicken barbecue. Candidates and organizations either had booths or were visiting bootha and taking the time to speak with constituents. The first local distribution of Obama yard signs began at this event, with Clarksville For Obama campaigners assembling the signs throughout the day.

This event was first present in 1996 as a Unity Dinner that attracted several hundred attendees. In 1998 it became the Truman Day Celebration, and in 1999, having outgrown its original site of the Jaycee Building, the celebration moved to the Hand Farm.  Six years ago the event evolved yet again to the Middle Tennessee Labor Day Celebration.  It is the only such event in Tennessee celebrating Labor Day, Labor Unions, and the working men and women of Tennessee.

Photos by Bill Larson

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Bob Tuke

The Atomic Trades and Labor Council has endorsed Bob Tuke to become Tennessee’s next U.S. Senator and to defeat Lamar Alexander in November.  The ATLC is comprised of 16 international unions and 17 local unions and represents approximately 2,100 members at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex.  The ATLC joins a growing list of Tuke for Tennessee endorsers, including:

• Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council – Representing 340 Local Unions and 250,000 workers throughout Tennesse
• Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association
• Teamsters Local Union 519 – Knoxville, TN
• Teamsters Local Union 480 – Nashville, TN
• Teamsters Local Union 327 – Nashville, TN
• Communications Workers of America Local 3808 – Nashville, TN
• UA Local Union 614 – Memphis, TN
• AFSCME Local 1733 – Memphis, TN
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 474 – Memphis, TN

For a complete list of Tuke for Tennessee endorsers, please visit http://www.tukefortennessee.com/endorsers.

Tuke will be in Clarksville at the Hand Farm for the Democratic Labor Day Celebration on September 6.