Secret Ballot - Meet Executive Order 97

Kudos to Star-Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine for bringing to light a gift to organized labor - Executive Order 97, which gave the Communications Workers of America (CWA) a card check right they had not been given through the legislature.

The Executive Order pertains to community care residential providers (CCRs), who are contractors that provide in-home services to developmentally disabled adults in a manner similar to what foster care provides to children. The Governor's Executive Order gives the CWA the right to represent CCRs at the bargaining table because a majority have signed authorization cards.The government, of course, was under no obligation, but did so anyway.

CCRs are not state employees and therefore not covered under the state's existing card check statute. These types of groups were not included at the time that legislation was passed, only to have the Gov grant the CWA representation rights via Executive Order.

Eventually, it will cost some of America's most overburdened taxpayers even more. The Front Office claims the Order is "revenue neutral".

That may be true this year, but the CWA did not go through a card check process, and the Governor did not sign an EO, all so that the cost would be the exact same, did they?

"They are supposed to be paid based on market rate," said (CWA organizer Hetty) Rosenstein. "We can show what the market rate is so they're paid more.".... 

"It is without a doubt quite a new direction for the CWA and the labor movement in general."

Indeed it is, but it's an expensive direction for the rest of us. The state is already facing tens of billions in unfunded liabilities for benefits granted under the current union contracts. You know how I know that? Because a guy by the name of Corzine has been going around the state repeating it endlessly.

And when we add whole new classes of unionized workers they are going to want lavish benefits as well.

Didn't think so.