When you think the American worker could not possibly be beaten down any further, corporate America conspires with the Republican Party to crush the Free Choice Act (Card Check). One wonders how they can keep a straight face in their “concern” that the Free Choice Act deprives workers of their right to a private vote.

In her article, “Can Labor Revive The American Dream?” (The Nation, Jan. 26) Esther Kaplan gives a snapshot of just how effective that private vote is. Nationwide, some 86,000 workers were fired over the past eight years for trying to unionize. Employers fire workers in a fourth of all campaigns, threaten workers with plant closings or outsourcing in half and employ mandatory one-on-one meetings where workers are threatened with job loss in over two-thirds. All of these tactics she explains, are illegal, yet corporations receive little more than a tap on the wrist, allowing them to become even bolder. The National Labor Relations Act which is supposed to protect workers is in shreds.

The Free Choice Act, in addition to allowing unionizing through majority sign-up, would stiffen penalties for intimidating or firing union supporters and would impose arbitration when a company refuses to bargain a first contract.

In addition, unions could push up wages and CEOs would have to share the billions they have been receiving in bonuses and perks with the American workers. Any wonder Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott is quoted as saying “We like driving the car and we’re not going to give the steering wheel to anybody but us.”

As for the Republicans’ determination to kill the Free Choice Act, Kaplan states that “If the progressives aren’t doing the math, conservatives are. Unions don’t spend money to elect Republicans. From their perspective, this would have a devastating consequence.”

Please back President Obama, who promised, “If a majority of workers want a union they should get a union. It’s that simple.”

Mary Milliron

Hollandale