Card Check Bill Passes Senate

by CalWatchdog Staff | March 31, 2011 9:55 am

Katy Grimes: The “card check” bill, SB 104,[1] authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, passed the Senate this morning 24-14, after a heated debate.

“This bill would permit agricultural employees, as an alternative procedure, to select their labor representatives by submitting a petition to the board accompanied by representation cards signed by a majority of the bargaining unit,” reads the bill.

Steinberg asked that the bill be immediately transfered to the Assembly, which just spent much of the last hour honoring civil rights leader Cesar Chavez with lengthy speeches about ACR 12[2], authored by Asemblyman Tony Mendoza, which “would recognize March 31, 2011, as the anniversary of the birth of César Chávez, and would call upon all Californians to participate in appropriate observances to remember César Chávez as a symbol of hope and justice to all persons.”

Steinberg has been pushing SB 104[3] very hard. Only two weeks ago, the bill passed out of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations committee. Opponents say that this particular bill limits employees’ right to vote using a secret ballot, as well as unfairly penalizing employers for potential violations during union organizing. And opponents are critical that unions are not penalized under this bill for the same type of potential violations during organizing.

CalWatchdog will update as the Assembly debates and votes on the bill.

MAR. 31, 2011

Source URL: https://calwatchdog.com/2011/03/31/card-check-bill-passes-senate/

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