Employee Free Choice Act

The American Bakers Association launched its grassroots effort to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) that would eliminate the secret ballot election for organizing unions.

The bill will likely be a high priority this year for the newly appointed Congress.

EFCA would allow employees to organize unions by filling out union authorization cards, which are otherwise known as “card checks.” This system would require employees to acknowledge in writing their intent to unionize or not unionize for all to see instead of holding the current secret ballot election.

Under the bill, if a union is organized, labor and management would have 120 days to negotiate a binding contract. If the deadline were not met, then arbiters from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service would present a contract that neither labor nor management can negotiate or vote on. Rather, they have to accept it for two years.

ABA indicates a compromise on the bill is not acceptable.

Meanwhile, the ABA Human Resources Committee will hold its meeting on Jan. 25-27 in Fort Worth, Texas.

To find out more on card check, go to www.americanbakers.org and click on to “Say No to EFCA” link. The site also has information on the Human Resources Committee meeting.