Carter Defends American Workers' Right to Secret Ballots

Carter Defends American Workers' Right to Secret Ballots

Congressman John Carter (R-Round Rock) today voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, H.R. 800. The legislation seeks to expose workers' private votes in union organizing elections and make them public through controversial "card checks."

"It is senseless that the same leaders elected by secret ballot across America insist American workers should not be allowed to use the same system in their workplace elections," said Congressman Carter. "Secret elections are a right guaranteed by our Constitution, a right that countless Americans have lost their lives to defend. This undemocratic Worker Intimidation Act was introduced by the majority party as a payback to union bosses as protection from the sharp decline in membership they are experiencing."

Under current law, unions may organize through either a federally-supervised private ballot election or a "card check" system. The Employee Free Choice Act would eliminate private voting rights by making workers' votes public through a mandatory card check, in which union bosses gather authorization cards signed by workers expressing their desire for a union to represent them.

"Such mandated card checks would result in undue intimidation and pressure on American workers," Congressman Carter continued. "To claim that a fair, secret election could be conducted under such circumstances is a joke."

H.R. 800 ended up passing with a 241-185 vote.

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