Card Check in California, Response in Missouri
While reviewing the SPN Labor Policy Exchange (which is free to anyone who wants to sign up), I found a couple pertinent legislative updates from other states.
The California Senate passed the California Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers. The bill would allow ag workers to unionize if a simple majority sign cards to form a union. The bill is plagued by the same problem as the federal EFCA. Unless workers are allowed to express their opinion in private via a secret ballot, they are subject to coercion by outside forces, whether a union or employer.
The Missouri House held and initial vote on a state constitutional amendment designed to ensure all elections -– including unionization elections -– within the state are held by secret ballot. Union opponents of the measure claim it is a form of union busting. Proponents say the measure is not about being pro-business or anti-labor, just preserving the integrity of uncoerced individual choice. See here for press coverage of the vote and here for more on the multi-state Save Our Secret Ballot campaign.