"We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act." President Obama recently made this statement to AFL-CIO leaders in a videotaped address, according to the March 4 edition of the The Wall Street Journal. Scary stuff for employers. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would mean the most aggressive, sweeping changes to the U.S. labor rules since the National Labor Relations Act was passed more than 70 years ago. Many observers predicted that the current economic crisis would force Congress to delay action on this bill-but that's increasingly starting to look like wishful thinking. Union officials have released statements from Nobel-winning economists and other business experts supporting EFCA, and they're ready to spend millions of dollars and volunteer hours this spring pressuring Congress to pass the legislation. And, of course, President Obama is clearly behind the bill. Why should you worry? For employers large and small, EFCA is very bad news: * It paves the way for union organizers to expand quickly into new workplaces by collecting signed cards without your knowledge (instead of holding a formal secret-ballot election). * If 50 percent or more of your workers sign those cards, boom: You're unionized. No more campaigns, no more voting-signatures alone will be enough to get the job done. * EFCA also gives federal arbitrators the brand-new authority to impose labor contracts in your workplace if you fail to reach agreement with union locals within 120 days of the union's formation. Join us on May 5 for a very frank, practical discussion of EFCA and the dangers it poses for your workplace. Our speaker-a former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) field attorney who's now an experienced management-side labor lawyer-will share strategies for preparing in advance for this legislation and safeguarding your workforce against unfair union organizing tactics. You'll learn what you can (and cannot) do to protect your organization without running afoul of the law-and why you must prepare right now to keep your workplace union-free. CRAP this should be moved to the politics section..sorry