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Union households in Colorado are opposed to legislation that would effectively end the use of secret ballots in organization elections and open the way for binding arbitration, according to a new poll. The so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which includes both measures, remains the top legislative priority for union bosses. But the poll released through the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) shows that rank and file members are opposed.

"Few union members in Colorado are familiar with the Employee ‘Forced' Choice Act, much less support it, even as union bosses in Washington, D.C. tout its importance.  And as union households learn more about this job-killing legislation, they clearly oppose it," said Katie Packer, executive director of the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI).  "The Employee ‘Forced' Choice Act would eliminate the secret ballot and empower government to mandate contract terms on small businesses and workers alike without their consent.  Any politician who chooses to stand with labor bosses over rank-and-file union members places their own political fortune in serious jeopardy."   

BACKGROUND:

On behalf of the Workforce Fairness Institute, Public Opinion Strategies (POS) presents their key findings of a Colorado statewide telephone survey among voters and union households.  The study was completed December 12-15, 2009 among 500 registered voters (margin of error of +4.38%) and among 300 union households (margin of error of +5.66%) . 

Some of these findings include:

59 percent of union households oppose changing the bargaining process in unionization, which EFCA would do.

60 percent of union households oppose changing the way unions are formed, which EFCA would do.

80 percent of all voters, as well as 73 percent of union households do not support a government arbitrator having the final say in determining contract terms, which EFCA would do.