a sudden shift in balance to the unions , Christianson said .
Secret ballots . The certification of a union as a representative workers group is usually conducted through a secret ballot , wherein workers vote if they want to be represented by the union . Opponents of the PRO Act claim that it would eliminate the secret ballot elections , which they see as an invasion of privacy that allows unions to essentially strongarm their way into control .
According to Haney , that ’ s not true . “ Under the PRO Act , the initial vote whether to certify a union will still occur via secret ballot ,” he said . “ What the PRO Act changes is the process by which the union can appeal the result of such an election .”
The Future
Whether the PRO Act becomes law or not , discussions focused on labor relations are likely to take center stage now that Biden , who vowed to be a pro-union president , is in the White House . Union leaders are looking forward to a continued conversation about these issues , said Williams .
“ What we ’ re excited about and what we know is that at least having a public debate about reforming our labor laws could be a healthy thing for this country ,” he said . “ We ’ re optimistic .”
If the PRO Act becomes a law , unions that lose initial votes can petition the National Labor Relations Board claiming employer interference or violation . If the NLRB finds probable cause of interference , the union can overturn the failed election result by obtaining signed authorization cards from a majority of employees in favor of certifying the union , Haney said .
Opponents of the bill fear unions will be able to assert undue influence on employees willing to vote against the union when conducted by a secret ballot — as they may feel intimidated when asked by the union to sign their name to authorization cards , Haney said .
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