Industry Groups Say Union Card-Check Bill Violates Principles of International Law

[Earth Bound Misfit]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29754402/

NEW YORK, NY - The proposed "card-check" bill currently before Congress, which would effectively eliminate secret ballots for employees to form unions, may violate longstanding international legal principles, according to a joint letter from two top industry groups.

The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have sent a letter (http://www.uscib.org/docs/090312_efca_letter.pdf) to Congress spelling out how provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act contradict the principles of international labor law as defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

"It's disturbing that labor unions, which for years have pressed for integration of ILO labor standards into U.S. law and trade agreements, would be pushing to introduce a system that violates ILO standards," said Adam Greene, USCIB's vice president for labor and corporate responsibility.

snip

"Congress needs to think long and hard about whether we really want to place the United States so far outside the agreed international norms on this issue," said Mr. Greene. "Even prisoners of war, under the Geneva Conventions, are guaranteed the right to a secret ballot when electing their representatives."

:rofl: They're FV$%ING KIDDING, right?

[Lithos]

1. Truth is that it doesn't eliminate the secret ballot

Jim Hightower had a great piece to this. Actually what it does is return an option which previously existed which allows the *OPTION* of either a secret ballot or card-check. This removes an addendum which was added by the Republicans years later as part of their effort to gut the 1930's labor laws of the New Deal which helped restore balance.

The world didn't end back in the 1930's and it won't end now.

L-

[Earth Bound Misfit]

3. Yes, of course it's a LIE that the bill "does away" with the

Secret Ballot. I, and others have written extensively on that here. What I find incredulous is that the C of C & USCIB are "suddenly" concerned with US compliance with ILO standards.

[Lithos]

5. Why incredulous?

They are being very consistent with their bias. Just trying a new spin is all.



L-

[Earth Bound Misfit]

6. Good point.

[Laelth]

2. Oh, B.S. That's a really weak argument.

Nice to see that they have nothing better in their arsenal, though. They're running scared.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Earth Bound Misfit]

4. It's the only argument they have, and it's based on a LIE.

The one thing they can "sell" to an uninformed public is it's supposed un-democratic process. But Democracy, NLRB style is not the same democracy used in federal elections.