Major retailers push alternatives to card check

[dcsmart]

By HOPE YEN – 19 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three major retailers on Saturday laid out broad details of an alternative proposal they hope will fend off a deadlock over a hotly contested bill making it easier for workers to unionize.

Starbucks Corp., Whole Foods Market Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. are opposed to portions of the labor-friendly Employee Free Choice Act, which would take away the right of employers to demand secret-ballot elections by workers before unions could be formed. Under the legislation, unions could gain representation if a majority of workers sign cards authorizing it.

Still, the companies say they recognize that simply opposing the bill might prove futile given a union-friendly environment in Washington in which Democrats control Congress. So the companies on Saturday announced an ad hoc committee aimed at pushing through alternatives. Their proposals will seek to maintain management's right to demand a secret ballot election and would leave out binding arbitration.
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Costco, Starbucks, Whole Foods Offer Alternative Union Bill

Costco, Starbucks and Whole Foods consider the legislation “seriously flawed” and are pushing a different approach that would guarantee a secret ballot in forming a union, said James Sinegal, Costco’s chief executive officer, on a conference call today with reporters. The card-check measure, backed by President Barack Obama, is organized labor’s top goal this year.

“Our proposal is not anti-union, and it’s not anti- business,” Sinegal said. About 20 percent of his company’s workers are represented by the Teamsters Union. Starbucks and Whole Foods employees aren’t unionized.

Under the alternative being sought by the three companies, management could demand a secret-ballot election, and a provision of the original bill requiring binding arbitration for union contracts would be dropped. Penalties would be increased for companies that take action against workers before union elections and refuse to participate in collective bargaining.
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[BlooInBloo]

1. If companies want it, it can't be good for workers.

[Vincardog]

2. Employee Free Choice Act, which would IN NO WAY take away the right of employers

to demand secret-ballot elections. Why post these lies?

[msongs]

3. yeah but Costco is a liberal heaven on earth doncha know nt