Craig Becker - Card Check's Inside Man

by Brad Peck

At first blush, it might seem fair to give workers the choice to remain under-represented. (Craig Becker)

'Employees' only choice, explained Mr. Becker, should be over which set of union officials get 'exclusive' power to negotiate their wages, benefits, and work rules. (Craig Becker)

'Unionism is in its very essence a lawless thing,' wrote the labor economist Robert Hoxie in I923. Law is '[i]n spirit ... individualistic, [and] makes freedom and sacredness of individual contract the touchstone of absolute justice.' In contrast, he explained, unions are 'formed to escape the evils of individualism and individual competition and contract;' their actions necessarily involve 'coercion.' Therefore, he reasoned, 'the law cannot help being in spirit inimical to unionism.' (Craig Becker)

Might seem fair? Only choice? Evils of individualism? Who is this Craig Becker who holds such disdain for workers and the law?  Well, he is "currently Associate General Counsel of one of the most aggressive unions in the United States, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has a record of using questionable pressure tactics with the goal of forcing employers and workers to recognize unions without the democratic protection of secret ballot elections."

So while his positions are antithetical to the American vision of liberty they do kinda make sense given his employer -- it's nice that they found each other. Not nice is that his employer may be changing soon as Becker is also one of the President’s nominations to become a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In case you couldn't figure this out from the name the NLRB  is the panel tasked with enforcing fairness in union elections -- cue the klaxons. 

Bruce Josten in a letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, wrote that Becker’s close association with the SEIU “raises questions about Mr. Becker’s ability to impartially judge cases that may come before the Board” Josten urged the Committee to hold a hearing to thoroughly consider the nomination. From the letter:

In particular, the Committee should assess whether Becker’s role at the SEIU might prompt him to implement portions of the Employee Free Choice Act even if it is never enacted by Congress. Notwithstanding the SEIU’s intense advocacy of this legislation, it has run into strong opposition in Congress, in significant measure because it would effectively mandate the SEIU’s signature approach to organizing, i.e., the effective elimination of secret ballots in organizing campaigns. However, as reported in Workforce Management Online, former NLRB Chairman William Gould noted that a Board with Becker as a member could attempt to impose this provision of the legislation on its own, regardless of whether or not Congress has appropriately amended the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Such a potential end-run around the legislative branch is of grave concern to the Chamber and, given Mr. Becker’s prominent role with SEIU, should be of equal concern to the Committee.

In addition, Mr. Becker has expressed extreme views in public writings about the NLRA, the law he will be charged with administering and enforcing should he be confirmed. The Committee should take this opportunity to ascertain whether Mr. Becker still holds these views.

A sampling of these views can be found here, and many, many, more can be found in the letter – it is required reading.

Comments

[Dienekes]

It is quickly becoming clear under the reign of Wacky Wilma Liebman and her gang of union henchmen and union-free employers and employees do not stand a chance of having justice prevail at the NLRB.

Moreover, with the expected rulings coming out of the "new" NLRB, it will soon be evident that, despite the evidence, unions will be the victors and employers will be "guilty until proven innocent"...BUT their innocence will not be had at the union-controlled NLRB. This means that, in order for employers and union-free employees to have any hope of prevailing, it will have to be done in the federal courts.

One way to throw a cog into the union machiniations will be for union-free employees and employers to begin filing ULP charges against unions at the slightest infraction.

Since unions use this technique now, turnabout is fair play.

Signed,
Dienekes
1-888-NO-UNION.COM