When Freedom Party discovered a group of dedicated, hard-working activists fighting to defend their freedom of choice on the job, we thought we might be in a postion to help even out the odds against them. The representatives of the Pro-Eaton Committee (voluntarily representing the employees against union ratification) who visited our offices two weeks before ballots were to be cast in a union certification attempt, were there at our invitation.

Out of money and denied the legal right to seek the official assistance of Eaton's, it soon became apoarent that the Pro-Eaton Committee had the courage and attitude necessary to stand up to union power and political advantage. What's more, they were doing it for the right reasons, as their conspicuously worn 'freedom of choice' buttons attested.

So we made them an offer they couldn't refuse: At no cost or obligation to anyone, Freedom Party wrote, edited and designed a literature package for the Pro-Eaton Committee in its bid to protect employees' freedom of association on the job. The literature even included our marketing statement: "After all, Freedom of Choice is what we're all about!"

Pro-Eaton representatives kept us informed about the reaction to our literature during the week before the vote. They and their supporters were very excited by our "slick and convincing" arguments. Converts were being made; significantly, the first person to sign for union ratification changed her mind after our literature was distributed. The tide was beginning to turn against the union, while its representatives became observably agitated and suspicious as to the source of the Pro-Eaton Committee's professionally-produced literature.

"It goes without saying that, after reading your well-put-together pamphlet, the undecided voter would vote NO and stay with Eaton's," Pro-Eaton Committe representative Doreen Denman wrote us, after her committee's resounding victory over the union's certification attempt.

Despite the results of the vote, union representatives refused to admit defeat, and the press covered the event strictly as a loss for the union rather than as a victory for the Pro-Eaton Committee or for freedom of association. Union representative, Tom Collins, refusing to acknowledge that ideas could possibly have played a role in the vote outcome, attributed the union's defeat to "a natural fear that employees have of reprisal." Vowing to continue his union's certification attempt in the future, Collins added: "I don't think they can stop us over the course of time. I think we'll get them on the next run."

Collins' attitude and tactics are clearly dependent on the knowledge that the union he represents has the resources, the legal advantage and the political connections necessary to make its next certification attempt more effective. It also depends on his assumption that those opposing his union's efforts will ultimately be forced to relent, since without the resources and support of some consistently active and organized association of their own to back them up, the employees' will to resist repeated certification attempts can be easily worn away.

Freedom Party hopes to play an active role in helping to reverse these circumstances. As always, we contend that the freedom to associate only has meaning when accompanied by the freedom not to associate. We're here to offer our physical assistance (i.e., public speaking, producing literature, etc.), our tactical advice, and our tax-creditable status as a fully-registered political party to anyone who's willing and able to accept the challenge of becoming an activist in the cause of personal liberty and freedom. On behalf of the Pro-Eaton Committee, representative Doreen Denman informed us that our literature has been forwarded to employees at other Eaton's stores. "We are waiting to hear from them. You may be sure they will wish to contact you."

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Page last updated on April 28, 2002