A couple of weeks ago the California Senate, by a vote of 24-14 along party lines, approved the state's version of Card Check-shorthand for the grotesquely named Employee Free Choice Act.

Rare is the piece of legislation that portends so badly for worker freedom or the economy. Instead of a secret ballot to determine if a company's workforce wants to be represented by union and adopt a collective bargaining, getting 50 percent plus one of the work force to sign a card asking for an election would be sufficient to force the company to recognize the union. The scheme requires Federal arbitration if the company and union cannot reach an agreement on a contract.

Card check obviously gives union organizers a very powerful advantage over companies. The intimidation to get employees to sign a card would undoubtedly be rampant. Getting workers to sign a card is child's play for union stalwarts.  And having the mandatory arbitration hanging over the company if they don't meet union demands guarantees the union will get almost everything it wants.

So, the work force is intimidated into approving union representation it does not want and the company will be forced to live with compensation and work rules that are inimical to its profitability. 

Is there any doubt what will happen to business formation of new businesses and attracting companies to California if the Senate bill eventually becomes law?  One can only gape in slack jawed amazement at the economic death wish of the Democrat members of the Senate. This is made even more stunning when one considers the deplorable condition of California's finances and the flood of people and jobs fleeing the state.