The National Labor Relations Board has released its most recent summary report of unionization elections. The unions' win rates are in the 55% to 65% range.  Insiders attribute the AFL-CIO's higher win rate (63%) compared to the unions in the Change to Win coalition (57%) to the CTW unions being more aggressive and taking more risks in unionization elections where they are not as sure to be victorious.   Change to Win Coalition  unions: Teamsters, LIUNA, SEIU, UBC, UFW, UNITE HERE, and UFCW.  Link to the report.  (Summary data is on page 10)

Democrats looking to expand prevailing wage rules. In a giveaway to the building trades unions at the expense of local school districts, Democrats in Congress are looking to expand federal prevailing wage rules (Davis-Bacon) to any building project where any federal money is used.  This means, for example, if the Education Department gives a $10K grant to a school construction project, the entire project would have to pay prevailing wages to all workers on the job.

Preparing for the next card check battle. The Las Vegas Sun today reports that businesses are preparing the for a possible 2009 fight over "card check" legislation that would dramatically tilt the organizing playing field in favor of labor by replacing the traditional secret ballot election with compulsory recognition of the union if a majority of workers are coerced into signing authorization cards.  Some employers are evaluating their workplace conditions to inoculate against a possible increase in union organizing activity.  Businesses Scurry to build Defenses for Possible Unionizing Onslaught.

Anti-card check coalition website: MyPrivateBallot.com This site is the official website of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, the national coalition organized by the US Chamber of Commerce to coordinate the campaign against card-check.  Excellent television commercial featured.

Know thy enemy. American Rights at Work is a pro-union "think tank" front group that aims to provide labor with intellectual ammunition and talking points for organizing and lobbying campaigns.  The group is led by former Michigan Congressman David Bonior, who is on temporary leave from the group as he served as the campaign manager for John Edwards' primary contest.  Edwards is a member of the group's Board of Directors.

The group's website features a mix of quasi-academic studies on how unfair current organizing rules are, and articles bashing various business groups and anti-labor activists.  Verizon and FedEx are currently featured targets.