Congress Revives Labor Union Bil, Renewing Debate

Congress is expected to renew efforts to pass a major pro-union bill this week, reviving the debate over whether the measure will be good or bad for American workers.

The Employee Free Choice Act, which would require employers to recognize a union if the majority of workers simply sign cards showing their support rather than hold a vote, passed the House in March but never got approved by the Senate.

The bill will actually weaken relationships betwen employers and employees, Jason Straczewski, director of HR policy at the National Association of Manufacturers, said on "Morning Call."

The act would also eliminate employers' rights to demand secret-ballot votes, which Straczewski doesn't believe will happen. He said all the employers need is a 30% vote from their employees, less than the majority, to disallow union formation.

"We shouldn't have this bill," Straczewski said. "It will take away their right to vote to choose the union. It will take away their vote to ratify their contract."

However, Marybeth Maxwell of Director of Americans at Work believes the act will "help us restore the middle class in America."

With the employers deciding which way the employees form the majority, "workers are having a very, very difficult time in the election process," Maxwell said.

Maxwell added that the purpose of the act is to allow employees "free choice and fair chance" through majority signing of cards rather than allow the employer complete power.