The Foundry

What does creating an “enduring legacy for America’s wild places,” have to do with denying employees the right to vote by secret ballot during a union organizing election?

Nothing—or so it seemed until the earlier this week, when the Sierra Club began urging its members to support the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). In the March 17 issue of Currents—Sierra Club’s weekly electronic newsletter—the group urges its members to support EFCA. Their rationale?

Protecting workers’ rights to organize will be an essential part of building a clean energy economy that lifts up all workers and communities.

Ignoring for a moment policy concerns attendant to creating “clean energy economy,” the Sierra Club at least has the right idea —protecting workers’ rights is critical. But taking away workers’ private ballots would expose workers to manipulation, harassment, and intimidation. Maybe the Sierra Club has a very different definition of “workers rights” that most Americans.