Unions Vs. Union - Employee Free Choice???

On Thursday, November 12, 2009, I was taking the time to read the Wall Street Journal prior to my oldest daughter's band concert in an attempt to keep up-to-date on what is going on in the world of business. I ran across an op-ed by Matthew Kaminski entitled "California Labor Wars" on page A25.

This editorial discusses the current issue of the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and the NUHW (National Union of Healthcare Workers) battle to capture about 10,000 home-care workers in the state of California. FYI, the NUHW leadership consists of ousted members of the SEIU affiliate UHW (Union of Healthcare Workers). I know too many freakin' acronyms but I think you can get through it.

Apparently, UHW with SEIU's help "shipped in 950 or so staff and spent an estimated $10 million" to help hold on to the 10,000 members who were attempting to de-certify the union and vote in a new union.

There are many accusations from illegal immigrants voting, threatening members, pressuring to spoil ballots, etc. AND this is between unions NOT management and the unions.

So, if we dissect this 'tiff" as outlined by Mr. Kaminski the SEIU and the NUHW are clearly utilizing tactics which management has been accused of in the past. But with the dust settling we can see how the unions truly act. As a good friend and mentor of mine always says, "the best predictor of future behavior is past performance," WOW that rings so true in this case.

Don't forget fellow HR com padres, in an effort to gain support for a federal mandate for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) unions and their foot soldiers (the democratic leaders in the House, Senate and White House) have used inaccurate and unsubstantiated documents such as Representation Without Intimidation: Securing Workers' Right to Choose Under the National Labor Relations Act to 'highlight' managements boorish behavior during unionizing campaigns in an attempt to push the legislation through.

I believe this union vs. union campaign going on in California, fully epitomizes how unions work and behave in a unionizing campaign. We must not forget unions can and do promise the potential members many things they cannot deliver on, they threaten potential members, they use scare tactics, they interfere with the balloting process and they want to say all of the intimidation in unionizing campaigns is from management.

If we allow our socialist leaning federal representatives to pass ANY legislation which removes the ability of an individual to have a secret ballot election we have failed our organizations as well as the employees it employs.

For what it's worth...... Politically Incorrect.