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McGovern: My Party Should Respect Secret Union Ballots
Wall Street Journal ^ | Aug 8, 2008 | George McGovern

Posted on 08/08/2008 2:48:05 AM PDT by The Raven

As a congressman, senator and one-time Democratic nominee for the presidency, I've participated in my share of vigorous public debates over issues of great consequence. And the public has been free to accept or reject the decisions I made when they walked into a ballot booth, drew the curtain and cast their vote. I didn't always win, but I always respected the process.

Voting is an immense privilege.

That is why I am concerned about a new development that could deny this freedom to many Americans. As a longtime friend of labor unions, I must raise my voice against pending legislation I see as a disturbing and undemocratic overreach not in the interest of either management or labor.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: 110th; aflcio; biglabor; democrats; mcgovern; obama; secretballots; unions; unionvote
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The Dem-a-nazis want to unionize WalMart with fear and taking away another freedom. So typical.
1 posted on 08/08/2008 2:48:05 AM PDT by The Raven
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To: The Raven
The Dem-a-nazis want to unionize WalMart with fear and taking away another freedom.

Hopefully Wal-Mart's effective union-busting techniques will protect us from these job-killing criminal thug gangs.

2 posted on 08/08/2008 2:54:48 AM PDT by pnh102 (Save America - Ban Ethanol Now!)
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To: The Raven

Secret ballot for the Dems . . . great idea Mr. McGovern. And blacks should get a 3/5 vote too.


3 posted on 08/08/2008 2:57:23 AM PDT by Bertha Fanation
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To: The Raven
Mac, you are 86 years old. It is a little late to realize your party is corrupt and Marxist.

You should have listened to your parents, who were both Republican.

4 posted on 08/08/2008 3:03:32 AM PDT by SkyPilot ("I wasn't in church during the time when the statements were made.")
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To: Bertha Fanation

Yeah. And maybe do away with primary caucus as well. It didn’t serve you well this year.


5 posted on 08/08/2008 3:04:22 AM PDT by Oldexpat (Drill Here, Drill There..we must drill everywhere.)
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To: Bertha Fanation

I don’t think you understand. It’s the Dems that want to take away the secret ballot union voting. The secret ballot is good and should stay. The unions want to get rid of it.


6 posted on 08/08/2008 3:04:54 AM PDT by visualops (artlife.us -nature photography desktop wallpapers)
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To: pnh102

Walmart has the ultimate in effective strategies for beating the unions. If a store goes union, the company simply declares the site unprofitable due to increased expenses brought about by the union contract, closes the store and moves on to a different location. They are so huge that a store here and there are not critical to the over all bottom line and the message it sends when a store is closed will reverberate far and wide.


7 posted on 08/08/2008 3:07:12 AM PDT by 101voodoo
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To: Bertha Fanation

Huh? McGovern is actually saying something good, for once in his idiotic life. He is trying to protect the rights of workers not to be pressured into “voting” for unionization. The secret ballot is essential to all of us, in all situations, ranging from our presidential elections to votes on whether or not our workplace unionizes.


8 posted on 08/08/2008 3:07:36 AM PDT by livius
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To: SkyPilot
"Mac, you are 86 years old. It is a little late to realize your party is corrupt and Marxist."

McGovern helped make it that way. After all of his Socialist tinkering he went out and tried to make it in business. Went bust in a year.

9 posted on 08/08/2008 3:11:01 AM PDT by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: 101voodoo
If a store goes union, the company simply declares the site unprofitable due to increased expenses brought about by the union contract, closes the store and moves on to a different location.

I remember reading about this. All I could do was laugh. Too bad GM, Ford, Chrysler, and most other companies which have been decimated by the plague of union corruption can't take a few lessons from Walmart's union-busting tactics.

I remember reading about how Walmart had a bunch of butchers at their stores who also unionized. Walmart responded by eliminating the position of butcher in the stores affected.

10 posted on 08/08/2008 3:14:56 AM PDT by pnh102 (Save America - Ban Ethanol Now!)
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To: The Raven

From a news article on the “card system” :

“Under the proposed legislation, companies could no longer have the right to insist on one secret ballot. Instead, the Free Choice, or “card check,” legislation would let unions form if more than 50% of workers simply sign a card saying they want to join. It is far easier for unions to get workers to sign cards because the organizers can approach workers repeatedly, over a period of weeks or months, until the union garners enough support.”

“Employers argue that the card system could lead to workers being pressured to sign by pro-union colleagues and organizers. Unions counter that it shields workers from pressure from their employers.”


11 posted on 08/08/2008 3:16:08 AM PDT by The Raven
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To: pnh102

It’s the ultimate retaliation of the employer and is tantamount to a hard kick in the balls (not that there is anything like a soft kick). It just takes the fight right the hell out of you.


12 posted on 08/08/2008 3:26:12 AM PDT by 101voodoo
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: The Raven

The same people must work for the United Way. Employees are harassed if they choose not to give.


14 posted on 08/08/2008 3:38:56 AM PDT by seemoAR
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To: The Raven

Good for McGovern. He would appear to be on our side on this issue.


15 posted on 08/08/2008 4:02:19 AM PDT by agere_contra
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To: The Raven
Good morning Mr. McGovern. Please tell me, how does the coffee smell?
16 posted on 08/08/2008 4:15:42 AM PDT by Roccus (Someday it'll all make sense.....maybe.)
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To: seemoAR
The big corporations practically demand United Way "contributions" and the managers are pressured to see that their department participates.

United Way is an evil way.

Of course the union organizers don't like secret ballots because people would have a chance to reject the intimidation without risking retaliation.Many bad decisions are made solely on the force of a strong personality convincing others to go along without weighing the merits of an action.

17 posted on 08/08/2008 4:32:58 AM PDT by hoosierham (Waddaya mean Freedom isn't free ?;will you take a creditcard?)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: hoosierham

Some employers will find some reason to fire workers that refuse to contribute.


19 posted on 08/08/2008 5:18:39 AM PDT by seemoAR
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To: Slump Tester
McGovern is still kicking? We'll have reason to celebrate soon enough. That shriveled little pansy has gotta be about ready to croak.

that is a disgusting post. One of the worst I have ever read on this forum. You should be ashamed.

McGovern was a WWII hero and was a pilot of a B24 over Eurpoe, the most dangerous job in WWII.

Maybe you should shrivel up and leave Free Republic.

20 posted on 08/08/2008 5:33:02 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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