ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society

Vice-President Dick Cheney annouced today that the President will veto the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a bill with wide bipartisan backing that would strip management of an opportunity to retaliate against pro-union employees involved in organizing their co-workers.

The Center for American Progress explains the current state of labor law:

The current union organization system is tilted against America’s workers. Each year, over 20,000 U.S. workers are illegally fired, demoted, laid off, suspended without pay, or denied work by their employers as a result of union activity. Under the Bush administration, American workers have seen union levels — and their wages — steadily drop: – In Oct. 2006, Bush’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — “easily the most anti-worker labor board in history” — issued a decision that will deny the right to organize to as many as 8 million workers in 200 occupations.

– In 2000, 13.5 percent of all wage and salary workers were unionized. In 2006, just 12 percent of workers were in unions.

– The portion of private sector workers covered by union protections has fallen steadily from 23.2 percent in 1979 to 8.5 percent in 2005.

– In 2004, 92 percent of employers forced workers to attend “mandatory captive audience meetings” where workers often had to “listen to hours of anti-union presentations by corporate representatives.”

– “The median hourly wage for American workers has declined 2 percent since 2003″ — after factoring in inflation — even though average worker productivity “has risen steadily over the same period.”

Unions ensure a better standard of living for working Americans. Workers represented by unions earn 28 percent more than nonunion workers and are 62 percent more likely to have medical insurance through their jobs.

The Vice-President's opposition to EFCA was echoed by Steven Law, who served as Deputy Secretary of Labor until last month.  During a speech to a management group, Law stated that he opposes EFCA because it give management "no chance to retaliate" against pro-union employees.  He added that "if you think that unionizing is a great thing, then this [bill] is a great thing."