Card check opponents hope to hinder unions

Jason Reeher, Grove City

You may have read recently about a bill called the Employee Free Choice Act. Often called by its more informal name, “card check,” the bill would allow organization of unions through the signing of cards rather than by secret ballot.

Card check is a badly needed reform, one that would be very beneficial to American workers.

As proposed, the Employee Free Choice Act would establish stronger penalties for employers that try to intimidate union organizers and it would create better arbitration guidelines. Perhaps most importantly, the bill would allow simple majorities to quickly and easily establish unions. This last point is a vital consideration in a nation where the union organization process is one of the most cumbersome in the Western world.

Opponents have argued that secret ballots are more democratic than card check. This is foolishness; delay tactics and intimidation by employers are the norm where secret ballots are the only method of worker organization. Besides, the Act would still permit secret ballots along with the card check option.

When you hear opponents of card check legislation argue against this change, they don’t try to hide their goal: to keep it difficult for workers to form unions. Pretending to care about democratic methods, the captains of industry and their legislative allies really desire to keep unions out -- even where majorities of workers want them. That’s about as undemocratic as it comes.

Kudos to couple who reported animal abuse

Linda Vanderveen, Hermitage

Congratulations to Walt and Sis Boyer from Transfer for having the courage to report animal abuse when they could have ignored it. It is our duty to report any abuse, be it child abuse, elder abuse or animal abuse. Hearing an animal being beaten for five or more minutes is something hard to forget. If more people had compassion like the Boyers, the world would be a better place.