EFCA Update - Employee Free Choice Act Losing Democratic Support in Senate
Over the last few weeks, several key Democratic Senators have withdrawn their support for the current version of the Employee Free Choice Act. Senators Feinstein (CA) and Carper (DEL) announced earlier this month that they will not support the bill. Previous Republican supporter Arlen Spector announced in March that he is withdrawing his support. Several other key Democratic Senators are also wavering and word is that Senator Kohl (WI) has removed his name as one of the Act's co-sponsors.
The Act now looks like it is unlikely to pass through the Senate without some material compromise by the pro-union supporters. Such a compromise would probably have include removal of the card check provisions or some substantial amendment to it (for example requiring a supermajority of cards to avoid election) to have a likely shot at passage. Congressman Sestak has already introduced one amended bill in the House, which contains virtually all the provisions of the EFCA, except for the card check recognition provisions. That bill, HR 1355, is called the "National Labor Relations Modernization Act" and can be found by clicking here: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/h1355_ih.xml
In any case, a Senate vote on the current EFCA bill, S 560 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-560) is unlikely until the situation with the Minnesota Senate seat is resolved and the final senator (likely to be Democrat Al Franken) is officially seated.