The Courier Press of Evansville, Ind. speaks against card check today:

Card Check

Hotly contested union organizing efforts can be stressful affairs for employees, even when conducted by both sides within the rules of conduct.

Undecided workers hear it from both sides about the advantages and disadvantages going union. And, usually, they hear it as well from fellow workers they would continue to work side by side with after the decision is made.

Despite this stress, the one protection that undecided workers have — the one protection that helps them decide without fear of intimidation or retaliation — is the secret ballot.

When these workers finally decide, they need tell no one of their vote. It is a basic standard of democracy, a protection that allows them the freedom to vote their conscience and their best interests.

But that would change if labor organizations have their way with the Employee Free Choice Act, more commonly known as card check. Indeed, if the bill passes Congress and as expected, is signed into law by President Barack Obama, it would allow anything but “free choice.”

The key provision of the legislation would allow labor unions to organize workplaces if more than 50 percent of workers there sign a card supporting unionization. The concern of opponents of this bill is that undecided, or even anti-union, workers might feel pressured to go against their wishes out of a fear of retaliation.

Under current law, and as it should be, elections are held, and workers have the freedom to decide by secret ballot whether or not to go union.

A Courier & Press story published Monday reported that the Service Employees International Union has launched an effort in Evansville — part of a 17-state campaign — in support of the legislation. The campaign, called “Change That Works,” is projected to cost tens of millions of dollars, the news story said. The two-million member union spent $80 million on the 2008 election, in which it endorsed Obama.

In Evansville, the group, now with a small office, is looking to build support for the legislation by encouraging the public to contact Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind. If the bill passes the Senate, then the public’s calls and letters would be directed to Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Evansville, who voted for the bill in 2007, in the House.

We hope this trio of Indiana lawmakers will recognize that this would be bad law, designed to allow undue pressure on workers to choose unionization.

There is nothing wrong with workers choosing to unionize their workplaces, if they make that choice free of intimidation.

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