Apparently Starbucks, Costco and Whole Foods have banded together to suggest an alternative to the Employee Free Choice Act, presently heading towards signage under the Democratically-controlled Congress and Obama Administration. One of the biggest complaints about the EFCA is that it isn't "free choice" -- it's actually carte blanche for the unions to intimidate and coerce uncooperative employees into signing on (the somewhat infamous "card check" process).

 

This alternative basically takes the "free choice" concept and shoves it right back in the faces of unions, saying "you want free choice? fine, let's make it REALLY free". Instead of Card Check, employees will essentially be able to call for a secret ballot any time they want.

 

... proposed instead that unions be given more access to meet with workers, stricter penalties for labor violations and a guaranteed right to request secret ballots in all circumstances.

 

 

No doubt the unions will oppose this, but they're going to look a little silly doing so given that this goes right to the heart of their argument. I think it's pretty clever. What do you all think?

 

 

Some background on the EFCA can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_Free_Choice_Act

I think unions sometimes need power leashes just as any organizations do, so it might be a clever move like you say. However, the process will determine its fairness or questionableness.