Unions Could Be Coming To South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Outgoing Republican attorney general Henry McMaster will lead an effort to get South Carolina voters to approve an amendment on union voting.

The Greenville News reported Sunday that several states have similar measures on their Nov. 2 ballots asking voters whether to amend state constitutions to  guarantee a secret ballot vote on forming a union.

The ballot initiatives are in response to the proposed Employee Free Choice Act that would require employers to recognize a union as soon as 50 percent of its employees sign cards in support of unionization. Currently either side can slow that recognition by requesting a secret-ballot vote.

The South Carolina Republican Party supports the amendment while the state Democratic Party opposes it. Both sides say they expect a court battle if the amendment is approved.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All rights reserved.)