Obama or McCain? Which One Am I Voting For?
Brace yourselves. The election is right around the corner and I have been asked “Jim, who are you supporting in the upcoming election?” Well, whoever wins, employers need to understand that there will be some serious dramatic legislative changes in employment law and labor activity.
Larry Lorber, a Washington D.C. based attorney, and Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, says; “2009 will be the year of living dangerously [from the human resources aspect of doing business].” The Democrats, according to Lorber, are preparing a number of bills in anticipation of Obama getting elected. Healthcare and immigration are two major considerations for reform, however, both McCain and Obama have relatively similar approaches. Which, simply stated, means that employers can expect some changes that will not benefit employers.
In addition, critics of “The Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA), which is supported by Obama, say that its passage will lead to an expotential increase in union activity. Some employers who have not had to deal with union organizing, and the laws associated with it, will have to learn very quickly. McCain has opposed EFCA which passed in the House in 2007 but failed to make it through the Senate. If the Democrats pick up the additional seats in the Senate, and Obama gets elected, it is predicted that the bill will be enacted within 100 days of his taking office. If McCain gets elected and the Senate gets the additional seats then any veto by McCain would be overcome. And, as we all know, political compromises happen all the time which could mean it gets in through either way if McCain, as an example, wants some tax bill pushed through.
EFCA would allow workers to join a union without a secret ballot election which ultimately means employees could be individually pressured by co-workers into signing authorization cards which means they would, at that point, have no opportunity to vote against the union. The end result would be an increase in employers who would have a union shop! This increase in unions will mean that employers, managers, supervisors and human resources will have to get involved in a host of labor issues such as helping to negotiate and administer collective-bargaining agreements.
In either case the election will have a profound change on the work environment. Be it immigration, healthcare or EFCA. “Which one am I voting for?” Well, I never discuss religion or politics with clients!! Sorry (LOL), but the information presented is worth remembering as you head to the polls!
