Jefferson City –Union volunteers are urgently needed to help stop a campaign that would cripple the efforts of unions in Missouri to organize new members.

The right-wing businesses promoting the phony campaign reported recently that they have more than 100,000 signatures already. They need 240,000 signatures by May 2 to put the phony proposal on the ballot next November.  

Unions have labeled the campaign phony because it is masquerading as an effort to “Save Our Secret Ballot” (SOS), implying that it is aimed at saving the right of citizens to protect the right to have a secret ballot in elections, including union elections.

But the secret ballot they want to save is the right of employers to order a secret ballot election when a union is trying to organize a new group of workers. Under current law, employers have an option of recognizing a union if a majority of workers indicates they want one, or calling for a secret election. Most employers prefer a secret election because it allows them time to delay recognition and intimidate their employees with threats of lay-offs and anti-union propaganda.

Unions would prefer a card check procedure which is faster and would require recognition after a majority of employees signed cards or petitions asking for representation by a union. Congress is considering passage of a federal law that would take the option away from employers and transfer it to workers. It would give union members the right of card-check recognition, but still allow them to have secret elections if they choose.

The SOS committee has sent an urgent message to its business supporters asking for additional money to fund the signature gathering campaign, which is being done by professional signature gatherers who are being paid per signature.

How? By volunteering to be a citizen educator standing along side an SOS petition gatherer and telling people the truth. What we’ve already discovered is that the gatherers will say anything to get a signature: They often lie, tell individuals this is a pro-union issue, whatever it takes to get their signature….and their payoff!

Training sessions are being help this month and next to give volunteers the information and tactics they need to politely but firmly tell the voters the truth, and in doing hopefully stop people from signing the phony anti-union petition. Here’s where to go:

If you want to be a citizen educator for the truth, it’s important that you RSVP for the training session you want to attend by calling Aaron Burnett at Jobs with Justice at 314-608-4209 or email him at aaron@stl-jwj.org as training sessions without sufficient registrations will be cancelled.

• Be a “Scout” – you can be the eyes of the effort; if you see petitioners at a specific spot, call the action hotline — 1-877-644-0466 — and let them know the location. That will trigger one of the educator teams going to that place and standing beside the petition gatherer and tell the truth to any one considering signing. This process has proved very effective is past anti-union petition drives.

• Talk to your legislator: help them understand the truth so that when the issue comes up in the Missouri legislature this session, and it will, they will understand that its nothing to do with protecting the secret ballot of union elections, federal law already does that. The SOS is simply an effort to cripple union organizing efforts to help the unorganized join a union without employer threats and intimidation.