EFCA This Fall? No Binding Arbitration?

We have a couple new stories on EFCA this week that are worth mentioning. The first is from Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), who as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is at the center of the issue.

Harkin went on the Bill Press Radio Show and said he was pushing for a vote this fall saying that passing EFCA is “something we have to do.” Harkin sounded an optimistic tone that they have the votes to pass the controversial legislation. Adding to the optimism was the fact that Massachusetts Democrats were able to quickly change a law (that they passed five years ago) to give the governor power to appoint an interim Senator. Interim Sen. Paul Kirk, once again, gives the Democrats 60 votes in the Senate.

Another Democrat- Evan Bayh of Indiana- recently did an interview where he talked about EFCA and made a couple key points. Bayh said he is for some sort of labor law reform, and seemed to indicate support for “quickie” elections. Bayh doesn’t think that binding arbitration, another controversial but less known part of the bill, will pass. Bayh was an original co-sponsor of the legislation, but seems to be on the compromise side of things along with several other moderate Democrats. Here is a quote from Bayh:

Look, if you can preserve the secret ballot, have reasonably prompt elections, meaningful penalties for those few bad actors out there, then there is some incentive for people to bargain in good faith.

Bayh said that many in the business community who he has spoken with would support this type of bill, and he thinks that labor would support it as well.