Employee Free Choice Act Introduced In Congress

On February 5, 2007, U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA), Chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, formally reintroduced the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) (the EFCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The EFCA, commonly referred to as the “card check” bill, would establish a mandatory process whereby a Union is recognized as the representative of a group of employees by obtaining a majority of employees to sign union authorization cards without a secret ballot election. With over 230 co-sponsors in the House, including several Republicans, the EFCA has received the support of various labor unions, civil rights organizations, the Democratic Leadership Counsel, and anti-poverty organizations.

The House is set to hold a hearing on the bill on February 8, 2007. The Senate is also expected to introduce its own version of the bill later this month.