Markey errs in sponsoring union bill

U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey is making a major misstep in her decision to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act.

The legislation would allow workers to decide if they want to conduct union votes either by private ballot or by signing cards. Currently, employers decide the voting process, with the vast majority of votes made via secret ballot.

But the card-check method, which most union organizers would prefer, allows other workers to see how individual employees vote. And that opens the process to coercion and intimidation. Labor officials have called this legislation, not yet written but likely to mirror previous versions, their top priority.

We can see no logical reason for such a change. Certainly, there should be no roadblocks put forth to prevent a unionization question. But ensuring workers a right to privacy when voting is not a roadblock – it’s a route to a free and fair consideration.

One element in the act that does make sense is strengthening penalties against companies that violate labor law by harassing or firing workers based on their union activity.

Markey and President Barack Obama insist that this legislation would not harm business, but create more sustainable wages and jobs for middle-class workers. They believe this legislation gives workers more choices and a stronger voice in the workplace through unionization.

Organized labor has a history of improving job safety and workplace conditions. But we respectfully disagree that expanding unions is the route to improving our economy. In fact, it’s likely to create a more contentious atmosphere. A better approach would include tax breaks and incentives for small business and industries that can verify job growth for the future, such as renewable energy.

Nor does Markey’s sponsorship make sense politically. The broader issue of unionization has not emerged as a priority for most Coloradans, where union participation is low. Here in Fort Collins, for example, voters strongly rejected collective bargaining for municipal workers.

Given the lack of local outcry demanding such legislation, the freshman Markey’s support for this bill holds the appearance of political payback for nearly $250,000 in contributions made to her campaign by union groups. Markey’s spokesperson strongly denies any such connection, but the perception exists.

Markey has supported positive legislation, including the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan expansion and a wilderness bill for Rocky Mountain National Park. She is urged to look beyond union issues to sponsor more thoughtful legislation that will positively impact her local constituents.

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