Update on HR 800 Concerning Union Certification

[Andy Neill]

I previously reported that there was a bill making its way through Congress (H.R. 800) that would establish union certification at a company if the majority of the affected workers simply mailed in a postcard which had previously been one step in requesting a vote. See post #119 in the following thread.

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?p=1254647#post1254647

Here is an update. H.R. 800 passed the house with something like a 230-190 vote. Before leaving, it considered three amendments:

1 - That the union organizers would return an employee's card within five days of written request to do so.

2 - That a union could be decertified by the same process - that is, if a majority of a represented worker group sent in post cards to decertify, it would be decertified.

3 - That unions would be subject to the same penalties if found guilty of coercing their members as the employers would be if found that they had coerced employees.

All three of these amendments were voted down 3-8 in committee.

The bill has moved on to the Senate where it has been read into the record.

 

[Soverytired]

Luckily, G.W. is gonna veto that piece of socialist garbage.

I doubt less than 5% of the flightinfo audience even knows what this is about though.

 

[DoinTime]

Luckily, G.W. is gonna veto that piece of socialist garbage.

I doubt less than 5% of the flightinfo audience even knows what this is about though.

Including you.

 

[Nindiri]

This thing is a disaster looking for a place to happen. If it passes, every union certification for the rest of time will be tied up in court with charges of vote fraud and corruption. It is simply too open to manipulation by management lawyers who will use it to beat unions over the head.

 

[TurboAWD]

Luckily, G.W. is gonna veto that piece of socialist garbage.

I doubt less than 5% of the flightinfo audience even knows what this is about though.

Are you enjoying your new, downward adjusted career expectations?

Turbo

 

[IronCityBlue]

Luckily, G.W. is gonna veto that piece of socialist garbage.

I doubt less than 5% of the flightinfo audience even knows what this is about though.

Not so sure about that.

W. doesn't like unions and while this may make it easier to initially certify one, it makes it far easier to decertify one as well. I bet there's a chance you could get 50% + 1 pilots at AAA to vent their frustrations by mailing in a postcard right about now.

This thing will be a tsunami of unintended consequences.

 

[Andy Neill]

Not so sure about that.

W. doesn't like unions and while this may make it easier to initially certify one, it makes it far easier to decertify one as well. I bet there's a chance you could get 50% + 1 pilots at AAA to vent their frustrations by mailing in a postcard right about now.

This thing will be a tsunami of unintended consequences.

There is nothing in HR 800 that makes it any easier to decertify a union. That was one of the three amendments voted down.

 

[IronCityBlue]

There is nothing in HR 800 that makes it any easier to decertify a union. That was one of the three amendments voted down.

OK I got it now I think.

In any case, I never saw the point of a vote to see if there will be a vote, followed by the actual vote that the initial vote set the stage for. One voting campaign should be all that's necessary. I don't really see that as a pro or anti labor thing in and of itself.

 

[John Pennekamp]

And it only applies to NLRB unions, aka trade unions. Unions under the RLA (transportation unions) will not be affected.

 

[Soverytired]

Are you enjoying your new, downward adjusted career expectations?

Turbo

Hmm. I'm not anti-union.

I just like secret ballots when I vote. As opposed to 3 or 4 organizers coming to my door step and pressuring me to sign a card. Repeatedly. And making sure that I know that they're going to let everyone I work with know if I signed it or not.

I really don't see why anyone could be against that.