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WASHINGTON-SenateRepublicansonTuesdayblockedabillthatwouldallowlaborunionstoorganizeworkplaceswithoutasecretballotelection.
Democratswereunabletogetthe60votesneededtoforceconsiderationoftheEmployeeFreeChoiceAct,endingorganizedlabor'schancetowinitstoplegislativepriorityfromCongress.
Thefinalvotewas51-48.
Theoutcomewasnotasurprise,withSenateMinorityLeaderMitchMcConnell,R-Ky.,sayingformonthsthathewouldstopthelegislationintheSenate.TheWhiteHousealsomadeclearthatifthebillpassedCongressitwouldbevetoed.
TheHousepassedthebillinMarch.DemocratsandlaborunionspressedforavoteintheSenateinhopesofrallyingtheirvotersinthe2008elections,wheretheyhopetowintheWhiteHouseandincreasetheirmajoritiesintheHouseandSenate.
"Wewillkeepcomingbackyearafteryearafteryear,"saidSen.SherrodBrown,D-Ohio.
TheGOPalsoplanstousethevoteforelection-yearcampaigning,withcorporationsandbusinessesbeingthetopopponentstothelegislation.TheNationalRepublicanSenatorialCommitteesentoutafundraisingvideolastweekaskingpeopletocontributeinordertohelpstoptheEmployeeFreeChoiceAct.
"RepublicanswillremindourconstituentsaboutthefactthatDemocratsproposedtostripworkersoftheirvotingrights,"McConnellsaid.
Thelegislationwasalitmustestvotefororganizedlaborandbusinesses,strongsupportersofDemocratsandRepublicansrespectively."Today'svoteshowsuswhoisstandingwithworkersandwhichpoliticiansareincollusionwithcorporateAmericatodestroythemiddleclass,"TeamstersPresidentJimHoffasaid.
Businessassociations,liketheU.S.ChamberofCommerce,alsoplantogradelawmakersbasedontheirvote."TheChamberwillincludevoteson,orinrelationto,thisissueinourannual'HowTheyVoted'scorecard,"warnedR.BruceJosten,thetopU.S.ChamberofCommercelobbyist,inalettertoCongress.
Thebillwouldrequireemployerstorecognizeunionsafterbeingpresentedunioncardssignedbyamajorityofeligibleworkersontheirpayrolls.Undercurrentlaborlaw,acompanycandemandasecretballotelectionsupervisedbythefederalgovernmentafterbeingpresentedtheunioncards.
Thebill'sproponentssayyearsofRepublicancontroloftheWhiteHouseandCongresshavegivencorporationsandbusinessestheupperhandwhenitcomestounionelections.Obstaclestoorganizingareamajorreasonunionmembershiphasdroppedfrom20percentofwageandsalaryworkersin1983to12percentin2006,theysay.
Unionscomplainthatemployershavegreateraccesstoworkersduringsecretballotcampaignsandclaimthatcorporatethreats,intimidationandeventualfiringshavebecomecommonforunionactivists.Bydraggingouttheelectionprocess,companiesoftensucceedinwearingdownunionenthusiasm,theyadd.
Employerscontendthatunionrecognitionelectionspreventjustthereversefromhappening.Usingonlyacardchecksystem,theyargue,wouldenableunionorganizerstousetheirknowledgeofwhodidanddidn'tsigncardstointimidatereluctantworkers.
Inthe2004elections,organizedlaborgave$53.6milliontoDemocraticcandidatesandpartycommitteesinalosingefforttocaptureboththeWhiteHouseandCongress,accordingtotheCenterforResponsivePolitics.Thatnumberroseto$57.5millionin2006,whenDemocratssuccessfullytooktheHouseandSenatefromtheGOP.
Butbusinesses,whichopposetheEmployeeFreeChoiceAct,donatelargelytotheRepublicanParty.Businessconcernsgave$122milliontotheRepublicanPartyin2004andanother$81millionin2006fornationalelections,theCenterforResponsivePoliticssaid.
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ThebillnumberisH.R.800.
Forbilltext:http://thomas.loc.gov
WhiteHousevetomessageonH.R.800:http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sap/110-1/hr800sap-s.pdf
NationalRepublicanSenatorialCommitteevideo:http://www.nrsc.org/videos/CardCheck
AFL-CIOadonEmployeeFreeChoiceAct:http://www.youtube.com/watch?vSCRPMq0xmIg
CenterforUnionFactsadonEmployeeFreeChoiceAct:http://www.youtube.com/watch?vTu4oj_2E1jE