Letter to the Editor

Union legislation raises questions

To the editor:

The article regarding the union official promoting legislation that would allow unions to side-step a worker's right for a free, democratic election to determine union representation raises a couple questions.

First, the title "Employee Free Choice Act" seems like one of those misnomers that should immediately arouse suspicion. It doesn't seem that a law that appears to strip away a worker's right to choose, in a secret-ballot election, union representation or not is a free choice of anything.

Second, the article states the legislation "would eliminate employer's option of requiring a secret ballot election." No, it's the workers that are allowed by law, for good reason, to cast their vote, protected, in private, making up their own minds.

There are more than two million workers in Missouri that would be affected by this law. It is not my purpose to tell anyone who to vote for. It is also not my purpose to argue union representation, regardless of their perceived relevance in this day and age. Let workers enjoy their right to vote. Voting workers should look beyond the labeling of law titles and determine the true colors of a piece of legislation. Don't let anyone insult your intelligence. Your elected representatives answer to your individual empowerment to speak your mind in a voting booth. American workers should expect no less.

RANDY DUNN, Oak Ridge