The Washington Times today ran a letter to the editor from Mary Beth Maxwell, Executive Director, American Rights at Work, in response to our editorial "It's in the cards for labor".  Let's break it down:

One of the greatest vehicles toward change for America's workers is the Employee Free Choice Act.

True.  The change referred to of course is the loss of a worker's right to secretly vote to form a union or not AND vote at all on their employment contract under the binding arbitration provision.

Thus, this legislation has become the prime target for anti-worker employers ("It's in the cards for labor," Commentary, Sunday). Correcting every distortion from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce takes away from an honest discussion on the state of America's workers. However, your readers deserve to hear the perspective of those who actually care about workers' rights.

America's workers are our greatest asset; we are adamantly pro-worker. Not only do we "actually care" about workers' rights, we would like to "actually" maintain them.

While the Chamber of Commerce claims that the legislation will eliminate the current union-election system, the bill itself clearly states that it will not.

The bill does not technically "eliminate" the current union-election system. It does outline that once enough workers are persuaded to sign, the union would automatically be certified, thus eliminating the ability for workers to have a secret ballot election.

The bill instead provides workers with an alternative, proven system of majority sign-up, giving them the choice in how they choose to form their union.

We couldn't have phrased this better: "the choice in how they choose to form their union", not if they want to form a union at all.

The Chamber also claims that this legislation will open the door to union intimidation.

However, research from Adrienne Eaton of Rutgers University reveals that fewer than one in 20 workers report that the presence of a union organizer made them feel pressured to sign up for a union. In fact, workers report 50 percent less employer coercion during majority sign-up than in the current "election" system that favors employers. As for their fear of unions' effect on businesses, just look at successful employers like AT&T Inc., UPS Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. that have proved that businesses can thrive while respecting their workers' rights.

Why would they feel intimidated now?  They can tell their union organizer anything to make them go away, and then vote in private.  The door to union intimidation doesn't need to be opened.  They can force their way in.

So why does the Chamber of Commerce so adamantly oppose this legislation?

Easy one, because it strips workers of a vital privacy protection - the ability to vote in a secret ballot election. 

This big-business special-interest group speaks for the portion of corporations that don't want to provide their workers with a livable wage, health insurance or the opportunity for a better life.

Ah, the Scarlet Letter "S" for special-interest group.  Well, we are a special interest group, for businesses of all sizes.  In fact small-businesses may be the most impacted by this Card Check bill.  And by the way, there is no bigger special-interest group than big-labor.

The Employee Free Choice Act will give the 60 million workers who want a union a meaningful chance to have one.

And a meaningful chance even if they don't want one.

The Chamber knows this will mean a voice at work for these men and women to fight for their rights, and it is willing to say and do anything to stop it.

The worker's have a voice, and they use it. Today a majority of NLRB elections are held within 39 days and a majority of union elections are won by organized labor. Card Check does one thing and one thing only - it removes the voice of "these men and women" from the workplace, and gives it (and the accompanying dues) to union organizers.