Specter eyes support for Employee Free Choice bill

[Earth Bound Misfit]

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/15517/

A spokesperson for Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the lead sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, confirmed today that an agreement is near that will allow Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) to return to his earlier position of support for the legislation.

Specter, originally a co-sponsor of the bill, announced on March 24 that he had switched to the opposition. At the time, as a Republican senator, he was under pressure from business lobbyists and right-wing Republicans lining up against him in that party’s coming primary election.

Since then he switched to the Democratic Party, and today he signaled his willingness to switch back to the pro-union side on the Employee Free Choice Act. He said, “I’m opposed to giving up the secret ballot or mandatory arbitration, as they are set forth in the bill, but I do believe that labor law reform is past overdue.”

Harkin confirmed, early this morning, that “Senator Specter’s staff and my staff have been working diligently over the last several days to get everything ready.”

Harkin was not specific about any particular compromises in the bill that he was willing to make. When a message was left on his answering machine, asking for confirmation of a Bloomberg news report that giving up majority signup was a “possibility,” Harkin’s spokesperson quickly returned the call and insisted there would be “no compromise on any of the core principles.”

-snip-

Observers see these latest developments as boosting the chances of securing 60 votes for the measure in the Senate, blocking a planned Republican filibuster. Specter would presumably be the 60th vote, assuming the eventual seating of Democrat Al Franken of Minnesota, who would be the 59th vote. Republicans have kept that race tied up in the courts, in part, to make passage of employee free choice more difficult.

The labor movement has mounted a herculean effort to help get those 60 votes, with a campaign in each of the states represented by swing senators, including Pennsylvania, Maine, Colorado and Arkansas.

More at link

[DJ13]

1. Is this the compromise bill that strips out card check?

And if so, whats the point?

[Earth Bound Misfit]

2. Good question.

When has the Chamber of Commerce fought for the rights of employees? They have wrapped their fight with a defense of the current so-called secret ballot process for determining union representation because it is a process they control and manipulate.

While attacking the Employee Free Choice Act, neither corporations nor their loudest advocates in Congress have offered constructive alternatives for how working people can balance the power of corporations.

What are their alternatives to prevent 25 percent of employers from firing workers who try to form a union, as currently occurs? Or to halt the corporate practice of threatening to shut down an entire workplace (which occurs in half of workplaces where employees try to join together), or to curb intimidating one-on-one meetings in which supervisors deliver the employer’s anti-union message (which occurs in 91 percent of workplaces where employees try to join together)?

The legislative process in Congress on the Employee Free Choice Act has barely begun. Rarely has legislation emerged from that process without amendments or fine-tuning. As that process begins, the heart of the real debate must emerge. For a compromise to be acceptable, it must tackle the real issue of how working Americans can effectively balance the unrestrained power of Wall Street by exercising their right join together in the workplace.

[blue neen]

3. Good answer.

I am not nearly as informed as you are on this subject, but I do know that Pennsylvania continues to be a strong union state. If Specter wants to have any chance to win next year, he will need the backing of labor. He needs to wise up--for the workers' sake and his own.

I believe Specter will ultimately support the Employee Free Choice Act. It's the smart thing to do, in all ways.

Thanks for the information. I learned something from your post. :toast:

[Omaha Steve]

4. Since he wants to keep his Senate Seat

I'm sure he will be backing EFCA soon. When Franken gets his seat, we should have the 60 to end the filibuster. EFCA could pass even though 2-3 other Dem Senators have said they will vote no. We just need them to vote to end the filibuster.

K&R!

[Political Heretic]

5. I'm skeptical.... I'm afraid it will be watered down (non)compromise that sets us back for years

If we PASS something that does NOTHING it should do for workers, under the guise of "big" labor reform... we won't be able to get something real passed for years, as everyone will keep referencing this as though all issues have been addressed.