Letters to the Editor: On secret ballots for union organizing
Union effort to eliminate secret ballot an affront to democracy
Vice President Joe Biden's recent visit to Miami Beach to meet with union leaders wasn't such a secret. But the labor bosses weren't letting anyone know that they were plotting to steal your right to a secret ballot. And now they are only one vote away in the U.S. Senate from doing it.
These bosses are on the verge of passing the Employee Free Choice Act and denying employees the right to cast their ballot in private in union organizing elections. Under this proposal, a union would be created in businesses with more than 10 employees once the union collects "authorization cards" signed by a majority of employees. No questions. No debate. No secret ballot. You're unionized.
Even long-time labor supporters such as George McGovern and the Rev. Al Sharpton oppose this undemocratic measure. They agree that workers deserve the right to hear all sides of the issues, the right to question relevant people, and the right to decide individually after an open and honest process.
While efforts to defeat the bill in Washington continue, I am taking action as part of an effort in 10 other states - Save Our Secret Ballot (www.sosballot.org ) - so that in Florida we can preserve the fundamental right to a secret ballot and democratic workplace elections.
Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, and I are sponsoring HJR 1013 and SJR 1908. With voter approval, they would amend Florida's constitution "to protect and preserve the fundamental right of individuals to vote by a secret ballot" in all elections required by federal, state or local law. This is not an anti-union proposal. It is a pro-worker protection proposal. Intimidation and harassment are wrong, whether from a union boss or a management boss.
Recently, Democrats in the Florida House of Representatives elected their party leader using a secret ballot process. If choosing their workplace leader by secret ballot is good enough for Democratic politicians in Tallahassee, then guaranteeing the right to secret-ballot elections should be the right thing to do for the workers of our state.
REP. ADAM HASNER
Delray Beach
Editor's note: Rep. Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, is majority leader of the Florida House.
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