As much as ever, we need choice act

I was extremely disappointed in your Saturday, March 8 editorial "Our View: Secret ballot is a right worth protecting." It surprised me that you espoused an opinion on a subject that you misunderstand.

The Employee Free Choice Act bill does not mandate the elimination of the secret ballot, but instead workers would be free to choose whether they want union representation by either the "card check" method (a majority of the workers sign a union card) or by the current secret-ballot method. Workers can choose to organize by ballot, majority signup or not at all. If there is a fear that this bill will crush small business, then the chamber of commerce should blame "big business." It is because of the thousands of cases of employer intimidation during the NLRB election process - threats that they will close their business, illegal terminations, coercion - that the "immense privilege" of voting is negated. It's not a democratic election when companies illegally fire a worker in a quarter of all organizing drives.

The National Labor Relations Act that was enacted during the Great Depression gained for workers protections that we now take for granted: 40-hour work weeks, a safe working environment and the end of child labor - all important issues of the day. Today's issues - a living wage, health care benefits, pensions and job security - are protections important to workers now. Working families are hurting right now and the middle class is crumbling. This act will help ensure that the workers, not just the CEOs, will benefit.

Jo Ann Coli

Vernon Hills