Because it's not true. One of the best and most often repeated lines of the opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act is that it will deny workers the right to vote decide on a union with a secret ballot election. That is wrong, wrong and wrong. First of all, workers do not currently enjoy that right. Maybe that should be repeated a few times in case there are any very slow reporters reading: Workers do not currently have the right to a secret ballot election to decide whether or not to be in a union Workers do not currently have the right to a secret ballot election to decide whether or not to be in a union. Under current law, an employer has the option to recognize a union based on a majority of workers decision to sign cards requesting recognition. That's right folks, under current law, employers can decide to recognize a union without a secret ballot election. The big change under the Employee Free Choice Act is that the decision as to whether or not to have a secret ballot election or to organize through majority sign-up would rest with workers not employers. Of course if workers wanted to have a secret ballot election they could petition the National Labor Relations Board to get a secret ballot election. So, anyone who claims that they oppose the Employee Free Choice Act because they support workers' right to a secret ballot, they are not telling the truth. The media should be pointing this out.
--Dean Baker
