Perfect: California Democrats Want to Eliminate Secret Ballot in Union Elections To, Uhm, Make the State's Horrific Deficit Even Worse

On the same day that The Sacramento Bee writes that California's "unfunded liability for state retiree health costs over the next 30 years [are] nearly $60 billion", the Democrat kooks in the state capitol are trying to further increase the incredible power of public sector unions.

I've heard of fiscal suicide before, but never quite so egregious a case as this.

If state Dems get their way, it might be bye-bye secret ballot

State Democrats are again trying to eliminate the secret-ballot vote for union certification. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg describes his latest measure as “the alternative electoral method for choosing collective bargaining representatives.” It is that, and a lot more.

Under “card check,” instead of voting for or against union representation by secret ballot, workers would be asked to sign union cards in front of organizers and colleagues, potentially subjecting them to harassment or intimidation. [Ed: Gee, after their performance in Wisconsin, who'd have thunk it?] Once a majority of employees has signed cards, the union is recognized.

Opponents charge that SB -104, Steinberg’s new bill, not only drops the right to a secret ballot but unfairly penalizes employers for potential violations during union organizing. And opponents are critical that unions are not penalized under this bill for the same type of potential violations during organizing.

The Steinberg bill has the support of more than 20 unions and labor organizations, including the California Labor Federation, the Teamsters, the United Nurses Association and the AFL-CIO...

...Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League said ... the bill unfairly imposes hefty penalties against employers for potential intimidation, “but has no mention in it about intimidation from the unions.” Bedwell described passage of the bill as “a wholesale license for union intimidation.”

Another disturbing aspect of the bill is that an employee’s card can be signed up to one year before actually being used in a union election, nor is proof of employment required — a decision upheld by the ALRB... Card-check promoters have good reason to be confident that Gov. Brown would not veto Steinberg’s bill.

The genius of Democrat governance is this: it's like a game of political musical chairs. Who ever is left standing when the whole system collapses is the loser.