At one time, union enthusiasts were happy to “democratize” workplaces by making the choice of union representation one that would be voted on with the results binding on all. The trouble, as they now see it, is that workers often are not interested in paying for union representation and don’t support unions in secret ballot procedures. (As an aside, I oppose the workplace democracy idea. There is no reason why union representation should be foisted on those who don’t want it.)
As Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, points out in this article, unions now are giving up on elections and have instead taken to tactics that pressure employers into accepting the results of a “card check” campaign, which means imposing unionization on workers who might very well have been pressured or deceived into signing a card.
One point to add to Mix’s article: Big Labor is delighted when it can do enough arm-twisting to get employers to help them dragoon workers into union ranks, but they will still throw a fit if an employer has the temerity to oppose a unionization campaign. Coercion is all right, provided that it works in their interest.
