Big Labor lobbied hard the past few years for a bill in Congress that would allow unions to avoid secret-ballot votes on unionizing workplaces. The bill instead would let labor activists watch while a given employee does or does not choose to sign a card favoring unionization.
That would be nothing but an open door to intimidation. Secret-ballot votes are obviously preferable as a way to ensure that workers’ true wishes are carried out without pressure from labor or management.
We can see, however, why Big Labor wants such a bill passed. Unionization levels have fallen over the past few decades. Today, only about 12 percent of all workers are unionized, and much of that union membership is concentrated in government – where workers should not be unionized in the first place.
Just recently, gate and reservations agents with Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines overwhelmingly rejected a unionization effort by the International Association of Machinists. More than 8,700 workers voted against the union, compared with only about 3,800 who favored it.
That strong defeat came just weeks after Delta flight attendants, baggage handlers and stock clerks also rejected union representation.