Sign the Employee Free Choice Act, making it easier for workers to unionize

Obama still supporting a version of the Employee Free Choice Act

Updated: Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 | By Angie Drobnic Holan

President Barack Obama strongly supported the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that changes the rules on how workplaces are unionized.

Right now, unions ask workers to sign cards saying they support the union. If they get 30 percent of workers to sign cards, it usually goes to a secret-ballot election. Under the new law, if unions get 50 percent of workers to sign cards, the union would win automatically, without a secret-ballot election. The unions believe this will be an easier way to unionize. (See our previous report on the Employee Free Choice Act for more details on how this works.)

The bill's supporters — including Obama — admit there aren't enough votes in the Senate right now for the legislation to pass.

But Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa is working on compromise legislation.

"Some folks have been crowing that they have killed EFCA," Harkin said on May 19, 2009. "Well, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of EFCA’s demise are greatly exaggerated! I am actively talking to senators who have expressed reservations about the bill. We always expected to make changes and tweaks to the bill. ... I am optimistic that we can find a reasonable compromise, and that we can pass a good bill this year."

Obama said at a town hall meeting that he supported efforts to find a compromise that would still make unionizing easier.

"That's what we're working on right now. I think it's going to have a chance of passage, but there's still more work to be done," Obama said.

This legislation is still percolating, and we don't know the final outcome. We rate this promise In the Works.

Sources:

Sen. Tom Harkin Web site, Harkin Rally’s with Faith Leaders in Support of EFCA , May 19, 2009

White House Web site, Town Hall meeting in Rio Rancho, N.M. , May 14, 2009