WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for a
Democratic Workplace (CDW) is again putting the significance of protecting
secret ballots in union organizing elections on the national agenda. As part
of its ongoing public education campaign, CDW's direct mail blitz will compare
the positions of Senate candidates in Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, New
Hampshire, North Carolina and Oregon on worker privacy and the mis-named
Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA).
"As Americans prepare to cast their vote in private in the upcoming
election without fear of threats or intimidation, it's critical that they
understand that there is a real threat to a worker's right to a private ballot
in union organizing elections," said Brian Worth with the Coalition for a
Democratic Workplace. The mail pieces call on the candidates to oppose EFCA.
"Why should workers lose a right that all Americans enjoy, including our
elected officials?"
The direct mail program builds on CDW's successful TV campaign, using the
same recognizable character. Almost 2 million households will receive the
mail pieces beginning the third week of October. CDW will also air its
"Changes" television ad in Louisiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and
Oregon. The ad uses a widely recognizable character to educate viewers in a
humorous way that the mis-named Employee Free Choice Act, or "card check"
legislation, threatens worker privacy.
Union special interests have made support for the EFCA, or "card check"
bill, a top priority this year and are pressuring candidates to pledge their
support. Under the EFCA, workers would effectively lose their right to a
private ballot when deciding whether to be represented by a union. The
private ballot would be replaced with a "card check" scheme where a union is
organized if a majority of workers simply sign a card; the workers' signatures
are made public to their employer, the union organizers and their co-workers.
The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives but was blocked in the
Senate in June, 2007. Labor union leaders have promised to re-introduce the
legislation early next year.
Samples of the mail pieces can be found at http://www.MyPrivateBallot.com,
as well as more information about CDW's public education campaign, the
candidates' positions and CDW's polling and television ads.
As the leading, broad-based coalition fighting the anti-worker "card
check" scheme, CDW has been actively working this issue since early 2007. The
coalition began its public education campaign last Spring with a series of
national cable TV buys and ran TV and radio ads in states and Congressional
districts last year urging members of Congress to support private ballots for
workers and oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.
About the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is made up of more than 500
associations and organizations from every state across the nation that have
joined together to protect a worker's right to a private ballot when deciding
whether to join a union. For more information and a listing of our membership,
please visit http://www.MyPrivateBallot.com.
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