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Labor Unions Promote Freedom, Prosperity

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By ROB RAY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2008

I am responding to your editorial from Nov. 7, "Unions Seek New Clout With Strong-Arm Tactics".

Does this editorial board claim that workers would try to purposely demand excessive wages and benefits that would hurt the business from which they receive a paycheck? It is the workers who would be a part of the contract negotiations team after the authorized organization is recognized.

Labor unions, in general, promote the freedom to help the employer be more productive and competitive. Then honor the employees by sharing in the profits that the increased productivity creates. The labor union and the employer collectively increase the educational opportunities for the workforce. Through this education, the employee becomes a greater asset and more productive in his or her job. Therefore, the employer becomes more competitive and increases its opportunities for greater profit.

The Employee Free Choice Act will be the greatest champion of workforce development and economic recovery since the Wagner Act of 1935. The EFCA will also allow workers a less coercive route to express their freedom of speech to "...form and join a union..."as identified in the National Labor Relations Act that protects all workers' rights.

Your editorial falsely accuses unions of removing the right to a secret ballot, forcing excessive wages and using coercive pressure.

The truth is, a "card check" will only be the first step in the organizing campaign. If 30 percent of the employees wish to have a secret ballot vote, then that is what will take place.

The employees, and the representing labor union, understand that excessive wages and benefits will not allow the business to remain competitive. The employees and the labor union will negotiate with the business representatives for fair and balanced wages and benefits that protect the employer and employee. Without the employer being allowed to make a profit, the jobs do not survive.

Just recently in the Tampa Bay area, a labor union was working with employees who wanted union representation. Numerous employees expressed interest in joining and forming a bargaining unit within their workplace. Many of the union supporters had a reduction in workload, which equated to a reduction of hourly work and pay. After the campaign, it was reported that the employer was taking the employees, one at a time, into a manager's office with two other supervisors in the room asking them specific questions as to their support or non-support of the union. This is intimidation; this is illegal.

The Employee Free Choice Act will reduce these coercive and intimidation tactics through the implementation of heavy fines.

Union organizers cannot fire employees if they do not support the organizing campaign, but employers do.

This piece of legislation is all about securing the rights of all workers who wish to express, as Americans, freedom of speech without threat of retribution from the person who signs the paycheck.

Rob Ray is West-Central Florida president of the Federation of Labor/Central Labor Council.

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