Missouri’s largest business organization isn’t stopping its opposition to federal legislation that is favorable to unions – even though a key component of that legislation might be removed.
Despite an apparent compromise that would strip, from the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a provision eliminating the need for secret ballot elections in union organizing efforts – the Missouri Chamber of Commerce still strongly opposes the legislation. Chamber President Dan Mehan says the real meat of this bill is still in it.
"The thing that really is the guts of this bill is the binding arbitration, which would require that a bureaucrat from Washington, D.C., would come out and mandate how the workplace relationship is conducted," said Mehan in an interview with the Missourinet. "That’s pay, that’s benefits, that’s days off."
Mehan isn’t at all comfortable that any arbitrator chosen would be unbiased.
"The arbitrator is named by the National Labor Relations Board," said Mehan. "And under the current administration, which is supportive of this approach, we know we are going to end up with an anti-business, MLRB representation."
Mehan takes no satisfaction in the apparent agreement on Capitol Hill to eliminate the no voting provision.
"We’ve expected, all along, that organized labor would pull the plug on that," said Mehan. "I believe the Majority Leaders in the House and Senate realize that they could give on that and still get the guts of the bill, which is the arbitration, the penalties, and then the expedited election."
Mehan says organized labor spent more than $350 million to elect Democrats in the 2008 elections – and this is payback.