Frank Cannon, an employee of C.J. Coakley Co., Inc., a member of ABC’s Virginia chapter, March 23 testified at a hearing held by the Senate Republican Conference and the Republican Policy Committee on how elimination of the secret ballot under the Employee Free Choice Act would expose him and his coworkers to further union intimidation.   

The Employee Free Choice Act, or “card check” legislation, would remove the long-standing requirement that guarantees workers their fundamental American right to a secret ballot election when they are deciding whether or not to join a union.  Under the “card check” process, employees would be forced to indicate their choice of whether to join a union by signing a card in front of their co-workers, employers and union organizers, opening the door to coercion and intimidation.  

Cannon told members of Congress and the media about specific incidents in which he had been bullied or intimidated by union representatives.  He mentioned instances when he was pressured to join a union and at least one instance where he was intimidated into under-performing on the job.   

“Even in secret ballot elections, co-workers bully and coerce others into joining the union,” Cannon said. “The elimination of the secret ballot under the Employee Free Choice Act would only serve to make the threats of union organizers that much more effective and intimidating.  

“The lengths that unions will go in order to achieve their goals can be terrifying,” Cannon continued. “Imagine if these same people who use these tactics every day were given the opportunity to see how I was voting in an organizing campaign. The secret ballot is not only our fundamental right, but the only safe and fair way that can allow a worker to decide whether or not to join a union.”  

For more information, contact Brewster Bevis at ABC, bevis@abc.org.