Comments on: Video: Labor officials can’t explain why they need to dump the secret ballot

By: Jeremiah Films

Jeremiah Films — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:25:02 +0000

BlogWatch: Voter Intimidation…

The use of a secret ballot in America was first deemed necessary to protect the voting rights of recently freed slaves after the Civil War. Voter intimidation during southern reconstruction was rampant, with African American first-time voters being thr…

By: Black Adam

Black Adam — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:46:00 +0000

we need members because union membership is dying…

But we need to know who is in favor!

hmmmm…let’s call it what it is: THE WORKER INTIMIDATION ACT!

too strong?

well how do we mask our true agenda?

By: sethstorm

sethstorm — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:01:26 +0000

No evidence. Why am I not surprised?

PimFortuynsGhost on February 6, 2009 at 2:24 PM

No evidence you would want to accept or pursue.

By: PimFortuynsGhost

PimFortuynsGhost — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:24:52 +0000

sethstorm on February 6, 2009 at 1:46 PM

No evidence. Why am I not surprised?

By: sethstorm

sethstorm — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:46:45 +0000

PimFortuynsGhost on February 6, 2009 at 9:02 AM

Talk to the lawyers who pursue those labor-relations cases.

If you really want impartial legal records, then go look at Lexis-Nexis for all you care.

By: PimFortuynsGhost

PimFortuynsGhost — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:02:06 +0000

sethstorm on February 6, 2009 at 8:25 AM

Prove it.

Since we already know you’re reading skills are at what, a fifth grade level, I’ll type really slowly for you to understand:

Acceptable sources are from nonpartisan third parties. Thus, no Union Thug newsletters or leftist hate media are acceptable (Nation, Progressive, Socialist Worker, Tyranny Now! w/ Amy Goodman, etc.).

By: sethstorm

sethstorm — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:25:13 +0000

Employers are just angry to see their own tactic used against them, in the form of a law. They have already swiss-cheesed the “secret ballot” into a “secret-if-you-vote-no” ballot.

If we can’t see your vote, how will we know whose legs to break?

scrubjay on February 5, 2009 at 1:38 PM

Employers already can and will.

They have no issue with:

• Stuffing ballots by flooding it with no-vote hires
• Sinking the area that is being unionized to kill off support.
• Provoking a violation (ala Vance International)
• Pull known supporters into meetings with the intent of intimidation
• Using inconsistent application of company policy to remove supporters

By: A Biggggggggggg Mistake. «

A Biggggggggggg Mistake. « — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:32:31 +0000

[...] Angeles: Unions march for worker organization legislation, 02/05/09. Ed Morrissey at Hot Air posts about a rally for Employee Free Choice Act (aka Card Check) legislation yesterday during which John [...]

By: Video: Labor officials can’t explain why they need to dump the secret ballot « Dirty Democrats

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:08:19 +0000

[...] a comment » Video: Labor officials can’t explain why they need to dump the secret ballot: [...]

By: Dollayo

Dollayo — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:18:45 +0000

video removed

By: Kini

Kini — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:01:46 +0000

Ah duon’t wannbeee like de French

By: DannoJyd

DannoJyd — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:36:18 +0000

Hey! These Union thugs voted for Obama, and with it they voted for Card Check.

Live with it!

By: Jaibones

Jaibones — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:56:52 +0000

I wonder how many union activists have gone into the private sector, started their own business, and unionized.

I’m betting the number is zero. Working for non-profits or advocacy groups doesn’t count.

Buy Danish on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM

Awesome question. I have a shorter one: I wonder how many union activists have gone into the private sector, started their own business?

By: Jaibones

Jaibones — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:55:30 +0000

In fact, Ed’s logic seems unassailable.

Or it would if he could spit out a simple question. Good God.

By: Video: Labor officials can’t explain why they need to dump the secret ballot — But As For Me

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:44:36 +0000

[...] Ed Frank got a chance to ask John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, a couple of questions about the Employee Free Choice Act at a rally for the Card Check legislation yesterday, as well as another union official. [...] Read the rest » [...]

By: unclesmrgol

unclesmrgol — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:42:37 +0000

The card is a nice thing you sign because you don’t want to stand in the way of democracy, or because you personally don’t want to diss the person asking. It’s like those ballot initiatives here in California — you sign it in a supermarket parking lot, and then, when you have a chance to read the fine print, you vote against it.

“Free Choice” isn’t a secret ballot — it’s a public ballot, and that’s something we in America do only with juries, not with elections.

By: NNtrancer

NNtrancer — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:38:39 +0000

Yes, I remember the union “goon squads” in Detroit going around breaking the legs of workers who wouldn’t join. I remember working on the GM assembly line and having a large chunk of my paycheck involuntarily deducted and sent to the union only to be laid off a short time later. By all means, let’s return to the good ol’ days.

By: Buy Danish

Buy Danish — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:11:18 +0000

I was a union member for 10 years. I would shut down my business before allowing my employees to unionize.

kahall on February 5, 2009 at 2:21 PM

I wonder how many union activists have gone into the private sector, started their own business, and unionized.

I’m betting the number is zero. Working for non-profits or advocacy groups doesn’t count.

By: jcila

jcila — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:12:18 +0000

I was in a union and was laid off
so the secret ballots didnt help much anyway

But i then went to a NON union plant and the very first thing i was shown was an Anti union video..

Because the management didnt want the union in their either.
So in effect both sides are wrong..

I walked out of there anyway after 4 days (they were idiots and didnt know what the hell they were doing)..

oh and let me tell you it is such a wonderful feeling..
hehe..

But i digress..
anyway the secret ballots should remain secret..
because it at least gives some security to the person
considering the option..

I KNOW that if you had 3 union guys all standing there
watching and then reading your ballot
with no guarantee of privacy some would be intimidated by the union to vote yes..

But whats worse is..
suppose the vote fails..
NOW you have management who knows who voted for what
and guess what..

your ass now belongs to them..

sorry this is a blanant attempt by the unions and management to initimidate the workers..

NOPE
Go suck an egg.

By: shibumi

shibumi — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:11:25 +0000

I’ve been involved in four union secret ballot elections, and none have unionized the workplace. All have been fair. I know as a fact that the union is drooling over this legislation. I also suspect that one of the reasons is because all the people who voted in past elections will once again think that the cards indicate they are interested in a vote, rather than being their actual vote. This misunderstanding will be easy to exploit, and I suspect that many union reps will forget to explain that the card that used to show interest is now in fact your vote.

By: hawkdriver

hawkdriver — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:57:13 +0000

snarky and evolve…

damn I’m stoopid

By: hawkdriver

hawkdriver — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:55:59 +0000

DeathToMediaHacks on February 5, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Thank you Hack for that well sorted explaination. It’s what I thought you were trying to say the first time. Much more clear now.

I do appreciate you taking the time, but I’m afraid I’m still at the same point and opinion I was in my first two smnarky posts on this subject. That works boths ways. It’s human nature. If open ballots allow the union to know who voted against them in a shop that was unionized, those people are open season and fair game. At that point, the company even has a hard time protecting them. Unions, I agree were one time very necessary, but they need to evolvee into a more business friendly and less corrupt and less leftist, (I’m sorry) entity.

By: Mike Antonucci

Mike Antonucci — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:21:41 +0000

These guys also never explain why, if card check is superior to a secret ballot, they won’t allow workers to use it to get rid of a union, or change unions.

By: PimFortuynsGhost

PimFortuynsGhost — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:07:08 +0000

This thugs are why I have a picture of Henry Clay Frick on my office door.

By: notagool

notagool — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:02:25 +0000

There was a time when unions served a purpose.

That time has gone.