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Are You Going to Be Blindsided By EFCA?
Mar 9A recent survey by Lightspeed Research showed that “76 percent of respondents believe the passage of EFCA will have a very large, large or moderate impact on their organizations.” Did you know, for example, that signed authorization cards are good for one year? That means your employees could have already signed cards and the union is waiting for EFCA to pass. Surprise.
When is the best time to plant a tree? 10 years ago. And when is the best time to start communicating about EFCA? 10 months ago. If you didn’t already start, there’s no time like the present to get communicating about EFCA and its implications for your organization.
The unions who are pushing for EFCA are spending millions of dollars on advertising, and they’ve created some pretty great videos. Here’s an example of one from SEIU called “Scary Movie.”
Here’s one of my favorite retorts, a video called “Thanks Union Bosses.”
I have a lot more to say about EFCA, card checks, secret ballots, union intimidation, and employee communication. This one’s a hot button issue. Are you ready?
About the Author
Frank Roche
Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.
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Frank,
I have been sounding the alarm like Paul Revere about the EFCA. For some reason, I don’t think the majority of businesses understand it nor know that they should be scared, very scared. I was in 3 union organizing campaigns for the companies I worked for and it is scarier than any business person can imagine. I’m not Chicken Little, this “monster” is coming and the sky is going to fall.
Smart HR consulting firms would be out there right now marketing preparedness plans to corporations.
Ron, I’ve been paying attention to what you’ve been saying…I’m hoping a lot of companies are. They’re going to need your help, man, when the tsunami hits. This is going to be nuts.
Frank – you are spot on point with this. This is not Y2K.
Frank – I’ve ranted over at the Capitalist as well. Go… let’s hear it and create some more Comrade posters over this one while you’re at it…
Thanks – KD
@Bill This is going to get crazy serious really quickly. I’ve been talking to a bunch of people lately…those who have prepared, and those who are going to have to in quick fashion. Yikes!
Shouldn’t this be fair both ways?? Shouldn’t a capitalistic society allow people to decide whether they want to be represented by an organization rather than be manipulated by the powerful?? Of course, those with the power do not want to relinquish their authority. hmmm? Authoritative. Isn’t that closer to communism????
@ Rick, I wonder if they trade one kind of representation — by the managers of the company — for another. And is the implication that unions aren’t powerful? They certainly are…and they manipulate. How’d that union thing work out in Michigan and Ohio? By my take, people can decide. What they can’t do is be strong armed into a card check without a secret ballot. Companies know that…unions seem to choose to ignore it.
This capitalistic society does currently allow people to decide whether they want to be represented by a union right today. The EFCA will make it much, much easier for unions to sell their pitch to employees without the company being able to respond with their side of the story. This would not be “fair.” This is not about power – it is about a belief that companies are much more productive and employees are happier without a third party interference.
Whether we like it or not, it’s gonna happen. I say all the extremist rhetoric on both sides isn’t going to help figure out how to make it work. Regardless of how much we complain, the bill will become law, and we in Corporate America need to figure out how to deal with it – and we need to be careful that we don’t take a heavy hand and turn our employees against us in the process. Hey, maybe we should focus on creating a positive, inclusive work environment and reigning in excessive executive compensation, for a start?
And I may be in a minority here, but I don’t blame the state of affairs in Michigan and Ohio entirely on unions. Poor management bears at least and equal share of responsibility for agreeing to years and years of ill advised contracts.
Right again, Frank. Michigan, Ohio and a whole host of others, most likely, deserved the union and the union that they got.
Doesn’t the company already show how they take care of their
employees by the way they are treating them. If we didn’t
need unions people would opt out because they would be afraid
of losing the benefits that they have. Problem is that most
companies believe they can chintz the employee and the employee
should be happy with what they are getting. Why do you think
this is coming up?? It’s because the average worker has to
settle for oppressed wages (immigration agenda) and lousy
pension plans 401k (not to mention the insurance issues).
It’s gotten out of balance in favor of the minority so the
majority are voicing their collective opinions now. Hey,
isn’t that they why a democracy should work??? Take care of
your employees. Give them better than the unions could offer.
Why would anybody choose a union over something stable?? Maybe
management as a whole could come out ahead if they treated
employees like they were assets instead of liabilities.