ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers have made it harder for workers at companies getting state economic incentives to unionize, in what could be a violation of federal law.
The state House voted 96 to 78 Wednesday for Senate Bill 362, which would bar companies that accept state incentives from recognizing unions without a formal secret-ballot election. The measure, which has been backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, now goes to the Republican governor for his signature.
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The bill would block unions from winning recognition directly from a company — without the additional step of a secret ballot — after signing up a majority of workers, in what is usually known as a card check.
The proposal comes as Georgia is giving billions in economic incentives to electric vehicle manufacturers and other companies.
Union leaders and Democrats argue the bill violates 1935’s National Labor Relations Act, which governs union organizing.
“If this bill passes, there will be a lawsuit and it will cost Georgia taxpayers millions of dollars and the state will lose,” state Rep. Saira Draper, an Atlanta Democrat, said on the House floor Wednesday.
The National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency overseeing union affairs, has declined to comment.
Democrats say the bill is really about making it harder for unions to organize and for companies to accept them. Other Democrats took to the House floor to argue that the bill would harm Georgia businesses by making workers from other states reluctant to move here.
“Why would we do anything to be anti-labor when we need to attract more workers from any source available?” asked Rep. Gregg Kennard of Lawrenceville.
Republicans denied that the bill is anti-labor, saying it aims to protect workers’ privacy. Some, including Kemp, argue that the secret ballot protects workers from being bullied into joining unions.
“Nothing in this bill stops a union from…
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