Specter Suggests Changes to Union Bill (card check)

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 16, 2009 | Kris Maher

[reaganaut1]

Sen. Arlen Specter is floating two compromise proposals on a contentious union-organizing bill to gauge the business community's willingness to accept the changes and find a middle ground on the bill, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Business groups were quick to shoot down his proposals, in a sign of how difficult it will be to reach agreement on legislation that makes it easier to organize workers. "We continue to stand in support of the right of workers to have a secret ballot and the right to vote on contracts without interference from government bureaucrats," said Katie Packer, executive director of the Workforce Fairness Institute, a business-backed nonprofit that opposes the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as "card check."

Under a potential compromise on the contentious subject of secret-ballot elections, workers could mail in ballots during union elections instead of the bill's current provision in which workers would sign cards collected by union organizers. The compromise approach would theoretically preserve privacy and reduce opportunities for coercion by union organizers and employers.

The second change would restrict the use of arbitrators in contract negotiations to situations in which the two sides fail to reach agreement on their last and best offer. The current version of the bill calls for automatic arbitration after 120 days.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Specter's office said the Pennsylvania senator has had discussions with labor leaders and business groups, including the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, about a compromise but declined to give specifics. Sen. Specter is working closely with Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa), the bill's lead sponsor in the Senate, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), the staffer said.

Sen. Specter has played a bigger role in formulating a compromise since he switched to the Democratic Party this month.

[reaganaut1]

The Democrats are not going to let Specter run as a Dem without getting something out of him. To get cover for flipping his vote on card check, he wants some cosmetic changes.

If arbitrators can impose contracts, unions will be rejecting more companies' "last and best offers". I suspect the unions want the option of mail-in ballots because they are easier to tamper with. How do you know who really mailed in the ballot?

[WatchYourself]

S.P.E.C.T.E.R. sucks

[ak267]

Any bill that doesn’t respect the secret ballot is a no-go.

[OafOfOffice]

I knew this was coming. Specter was basically told you don’t go along with us on card check you lose senority forever.
He has to go. He has no integrity whatosever.

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

Absolutely not. 100% secret ballot, and no mandatory govt. arbitration. Anything else is a non-starter.

Without a secret ballot, workers will be (are guaran-f'n-tee'd to be) intimidated into joining unions. This will effectively, eventually, make every business a union shop. This will give the unions even more power over businesses, and feed their coffers so they can buy even more votes and influence in govt.

Mandatory govt. arbitration of union disputes means that all a union has to do is hold out on an unreasonable position long enough, and a govt. appointed flunky will eventually come in and impose a settlement on the business. This effectively puts the govt. in control of every business. Socialism, pure and simple.

You think obama has us headed for socialism at a gallop? This will put us on the black diamond slope with a fresh wax job...

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

Interesting question. Who has less integrity, Pelosi or Specter?

Better question. Which, if any, has any integrity?

[Eric Blair 2084]

Specter is not a conservative, liberal, libertarian, progressive. No core beliefs. He is a Specterite. He only cares about what will keep him in power.

I frankly have more respect for progressive lib dems than I do for the likes of him. At least I know what I’m getting. “Moderates” like him in both parties are like your bipolar uncle who comes over every year for Thanksgiving dinner and is off his meds....you have no idea what you are gonna get.

They are for big gubmint, limited gubmint, whatever. Depends on what mood they are in.

[TBP]

And Benedict Arlen begins the flip-flop on this issue (one of many.)

[GrouchoTex]

“Any bill that doesn’t respect the secret ballot is a no-go.”

Amen. It is simply Un-American to do it any other way.

[unkus]

None, what so ever. Rotten to the core like ~ 95% of all politicians.

[unkus]

Amen. It is simply Un-American to do it any other way.
____________________

Amen to that. Most union members are Fascists and don’t even know it.

[Elle Bee]

Sen. Specter is working closely with Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa), the bill's lead sponsor in the Senate, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), the staffer said.

Tom Harkin

one of the most loathsome wastes of sin on the planet

Harkin makes the swimmer seem human

Didn't he also falsify his 'war record'???

.

[RonF]

Those on the left that I have talked to see the key problem is that a secret ballot makes it harder to form unions. The reason given is that between the time that the ballot is announced and the time it is held the corporation has time to attempt to influence and intimidate the labor force. The argument regarding intimidation of card holders by fellow employees and union officials is discounted as theoretical and unlikely.

[Lmo56]

What a putz - and he doesn’t realize that the Dems are gonna 86 him in the Pa. primary ...

[TurtleUp]

... legislation that makes it easier to organize workers.

It's already easy to unionize workers who want to give up a large chunk of their pay for pathetic union representation that looks after the union management's interests instead of the workers' interests. What's hard is organizing workers who don't want to be organized - but that's only because of individual freedom so Obama should fix that problem in no time.

[bmwcyle]

They are going to call it “The Magic Ballet”.

[Bender2]

This just in... Kent Brockman reporting--

Arlen Specter today shocked all Washington... by announcing his switch to the Whig Party--

And here is the Senator... at the Whig Party Headquarters--

Film... at 11!

[Erik Latranyi]

One question:

What is wrong with current rules regarding union organizing that changes need to be made?

Let them come out and admit that they want to make it easier for unions to organize. It will make it easier to beat them in 2010.

[Condor51]

Sen. Arlen Specter is floating two compromise proposals ...

Hey Arlen, float "this". In case you haven't looked you are now a NOBODY. You have lees seniority than the lowest Dem that just got elected. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY now cares what you think.

(how's your 30 pieces of silver? Isn't it hard dragging them around with you all the time?)

[blackie]

Yes!!