Earlier this morning, Matt Lauer, co-host of the Today Show, interviewed Mike Duke, the new CEO of Wal-Mart, and they talked about the Employee Free Choice Act. Unfortunately, Mr. Lauer led his question with a mischaracterization of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Watch the video and read the transcript.
Asking the CEO of Wal-Mart about the Employee Free Choice Act is like asking the fox about the hen house. To read Human Rights Watch's 2007 report on "Wal-Mart's Violation of US Workers’ Right to Freedom of Association" please click here. (pdf)
Watch the video and read the transcript.
Matt Lauer: With 1.4 million associate employees that earn an average wage of $10.83 an hour, Wal-Mart now faces a threat to its corporate model. There's proposed legislation on Capitol Hill that would make it easier for unions to organize employees, the Employee Free Choice Act, doing away with secret ballots. Unions say it will make it easier for American workers to earn a fair salary. Others, like the guy who runs Home Depot, the co-founder, says it's going to cripple American business. What's the truth?Mr. Lauer is incorrect to say that the Employee Free Choice Act would get get rid of the secret ballot for workers. Contrary to misleading statements being pushed by opponents of the bill, the Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminate the secret ballot election process. That process, also known as a National Labor Relations Board election would still be available under the Employee Free Choice Act. The bill simply enables workers to also form a union through majority sign-up if a majority prefers that method to the NLRB election process. Under current law, workers may only use the majority sign-up process if their employer agrees. The Employee Free Choice Act allows workers, not corporate executives, to make that decision.
Mike Duke: Well, of course, we are opposed to that. We have a unique relationship with our associates. Of all of our managers across America, 3 out of 4 started with the company as an hourly associate. 95% of our associates across America have health care insurance in some fashion. It's really one of those bills that would be damaging to the American economy long-term.
Asking the CEO of Wal-Mart about the Employee Free Choice Act is like asking the fox about the hen house. To read Human Rights Watch's 2007 report on "Wal-Mart's Violation of US Workers’ Right to Freedom of Association" please click here. (pdf)
Thinking Outside The Box to Get The Employee Free Choice Act EFCA Passed
http://efcanow.blogspot.com/2009/03/thinking-outside-box-to-get-employee.html
Amending The Employee Free Choice Act.
A Compromise Every Union Can Live With.
http://efcanow.blogspot.com/2009/01/amending-employee-free-choice-act.html
I am an independent that voted for President Obama and I supported the general platform of the Democratic Party. However, from my years in industry and banking, both as a blue coller worker and as an officer, I know the nuances and the itimidating ways that strong people can have when persuing an objective, especially if they are going to benefit in the leadership. For that reason, I feel that giving the choice to the labor leader is giving too much potentional for munipulation and coersion. I've been there!
I believe in the secret ballot. The existance of the business comes ahead of how the workers are put in place. And don't get me started on the rediculous executive pay and fringes; I'm as outraged about it and anyone, but that's a separate issue. Please vote against this bill.
Mr. Carlson,
As we said in our post, the Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminate the secret ballot election process. That process, also known as a National Labor Relations Board election would still be available under the Employee Free Choice Act. The bill simply enables workers to also form a union through majority sign-up if a majority prefers that method to the NLRB election process. Under current law, workers may only use the majority sign-up process if their employer agrees. The Employee Free Choice Act allows workers, not corporate executives, to make that decision.
"That process, also known as a National Labor Relations Board election would still be available under the Employee Free Choice Act."
...available to the union leadership to decide to have? If they've already coerced signatures to have 50% + 1, what union in their right mind would choose to have an election?
A secret ballot allows people to freely express their true intent.
I too have seen the intimidation, manipulation, lying and coersion unions are capable of - a secret ballot is the democratic, American way to decide.