EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

Please download and read the EFCA from the House and/or Senate web sites. The Senate is S.560 and the House version is HR 1409.

I am not anti-union, but rather maintain an objective and academic view point on the subject of organized labor and labor unions. In fact I want the EFCA to pass...it will be excellent for businesses--both pro labor and anti-labor.

Technical it is true the labor union that is organizing the campaign does have the choice to request a secret ballot election, but in practical terms, it may never happen. There is no point for the union to chance a secret ballot, when card check recognition, that is 50% plus one, is all that is required to bring management to the bargaining table.

You also must bear in mind that organized labor is a very large industry into itself. Union dues are the economic engine that pays for labor unions operating expenses, overhead, salaries and profit. Union membership dues also pay for lobbying and political influence. Politics is an expensive business.

Organized labor as a group or industry, spent close to a billion dollars in cash and services electing the Democratic Party on all levels during this election cycle. The financing comes from union membership dues, contributions and time spent by union officials door knocking all over the country. So YES, the EFCA is organized labors reward for the money spent and for putting boots on the ground to elect the various Democrats, from President to local officials.

Also bear in mind that labor unions have been in a steady decline for years. One has only to look at the U.S. heavy industries, such as auto, manufacturing and steel, to see that it is a decaying business model. As a business model, organized labor has failed to evolve with the changing economic climate, just as dinosaurs became extinct because they failed to evolve with the climatic changes. Labor unions have failed to realize that outsourcing, downsizing, business closures are all a result of a changing business climate.

Corporate America is mandated to produce the best product for the least cost, and thus increase profit. If companies can move a facility overseas, or to a lower wage state within the US, to save labor and production costs, it is required to do so by its stakeholders. Labor is a very expensive component of producing goods or services.

The EFCA is widely regarded as a legally mandated method for labor unions to grow quickly and become more profitable. It is the same profit driven business model that drives corporate America. The EFCA is a vital tool for union growth. Andy Stern, the head of SEIU, admits that with the passage of the EFCA, he will be able to organize a million new members per year, as opposed to the current average of one hundred thousand.

That is like any decaying industry that desperate needs a revival and an infusion of business. The passage of the EFCA will be organized labors infusion, and may contribute to labor unions sustainability. The more members, the more membership dues income, the greater political and economic power labor unions will enjoy. It is a business, just like any other industry.

For more information about organized labor, I invite you to read a new book just published on the subject: "Is Organized Labor A Decaying Business Model?"

The book examines the organized labor business model from the perspectives of the economic and political influences or organized labor, relative to the domestic and global economy.

Please refer to: www.outskirtspress.com/chrismosquera.

It is available on line through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com and in electronic form through Kindle.

Let us keep the lively conversation going.
I invite others to participate in the exchange of ideas.

Thank you,
Chris Mosquera