The Employee Choice Act, what exactly does it do?

[Winterblues]

I have heard it would give all employees the right to form a Union and other stuff, but are there any protections for business. There is such a thing called "The Tyranny of the Majority" and that is why we have a Constitution to protect us from such. What will protect business from that? I have a small business with ten - twelve employees and we are struggling. If they suddenly met and decided to Unionize which would cause their pay to increase by more than the business could sustain, it would put us out of business. What protections do small business get. I am on the workers side on most issues but I am unsure on this one. We pay between fourteen and eighteen dollars an hour to our employees depending upon their position. We provide no Health Care nor Retirement benefits because we can not afford to not because I would not love to do so. I have none myself..

[Omaha Steve]

1. IF the workers decide on a union....

IF they can't come to an agreement for a contract, a certified mediator would set the terms of a 1st contract. The company books would be open to the mediator.

[Winterblues]

2. Is that it, is that all this has to offer?

I was under the impression there was more to it than just the ability to Unionize...

[jbonkowski]

3. Doesn't apply to small businesses

From Wikipedia:

"The Employee Free Choice Act does not alter the existing small business exemption of the National Labor Relations Board. The jurisdiction of the NLRB remains at the level set in 1959, $500,000 gross volume for a retail business, which, if inflation-adjusted, would be about $3.3 million in 2008."

Otherwise, the law would just require the NLRB to file a federal injunction if an employer is discriminating against union organizers, and fine employers if they do.

jim