Arbitration is key in fight over union bill

The willingness of some Democrats to drop the "card check" portion of a union organizing bill has led opponents of the measure to intensify their attack on another major provision: Binding arbitration if a new union and management can't agree on a first contract within 120 days.

"We suspected from the beginning that the binding arbitration was packaged with the elimination of the secret ballot in order to create a straw man they could take down later," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

A small group of senators led by Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa is working out a compromise of the Employee Free Choice Act, one of the most polarizing measures in Congress and the top legislative priority of labor leaders, who want to reverse years of declining union membership.

Although Democrats have 60 votes in the Senate, several moderates — including Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania — have insisted they cannot support the bill as is, according to a July 28 AP report.

Read a Glass Magazine article on card check.

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