In The News

Originally Published in The Brunswick News
By: F. Vincent Vernuccio 

Labor Day is a time to celebrate the American worker. But it’s also a time to ask ourselves: What state is doing the best job of putting workers first?

Georgia has an incredibly strong claim. The Peach State isn’t just leading the way in pro-worker reforms at the state level. It’s also the home of federal leaders who are fighting for workers in Washington, D.C. Few states, if any, have so many principled, pro-worker leaders at every level of government.

The state’s leadership in Atlanta is clear in many ways. For decades, Georgia has been a right-to-work state, giving workers the choice of whether or not to pay union fees. As a result, they can opt out of paying a union without fear of losing their jobs. That policy has undoubtedly contributed to Georgia’s booming economy. Manufacturers in particular may be more likely to set up shop in the Peach State because of this simple, commonsense policy.

But Georgia didn’t stop at right-to-work. Two years ago, Gov. Brian Kemp and State Rep. Will Wade led the charge for an innovative new reform that gives workers even greater protection. Under this law, companies that receive state incentives must protect the privacy and the secret ballot for their workers in unionization elections—the same kind of voting process Americans use in elections. This reform protects workers from intimidation and harassment, ensuring that they can make their voices heard without fear of reprisal.

To see why this reform matters, consider what happened next door, in Alabama. Last year, the United Auto Workers convinced about 70% of workers to sign cards supporting unionization at two auto factories. This “card-check” method is the opposite of the secret ballot, since unions can publicly pressure workers to sign these cards. Often, the card check is the end of the story — employers recognize it without holding a secret-ballot election.

When the vote was held in private, a majority of workers at the auto plants voted against unionization, showing that the secret-ballot is the best way to gauge workers’ true wishes. Similarly, in Georgia, workers at many companies know their rights are protected, and it’s yet another reason for job creators to come to the Peach State.

This state leadership is already enough to set Georgia apart as a pro-worker haven. But the state’s leadership is also apparent in our nation’s capital. Rep. Rick Allen, from Georgia’s 12th congressional district, recently re-introduced the Employee Rights Act—the single most important pro-worker in America today.

The Employee Rights Act is full of reforms that would protect and strengthen workers’ rights. Building on Georgia’s state policy, it would require the secret ballot for all unionization elections in America—no more card check. It would also protect workers’ privacy by letting them determine what personal information unions can access. And in the 26 states like Georgia with right-to-work laws, the Employee Rights Act would let workers who opt out of union membership negotiate their own contracts—something they’re currently banned from doing.

The ERA goes even further by protecting workers’ right to build their own small businesses as independent contractors. And workers would have greater freedom to pursue entrepreneurship by starting franchises, since the ERA ends the shifting federal standards that have long threatened this pro-worker business model.

These are just a few of the pro-worker reforms in the Employee Rights Act. Rep. Allen deserves praise for championing this bill and defending the freedom that workers need. The same goes for leaders in Atlanta who’ve made the Peach State a model of reform, especially Gov. Kemp and State Rep. Wade. The pro-worker progress that’s started in Georgia is spreading nationwide — and this Labor Day, that’s the best thing of all to celebrate.

F. Vincent Vernuccio is president of the Institute for the American Worker.