There’s a sad note for workplace democracy out of Pennsylvania, where a card check campaign was rammed down the throats of nursing home employees who had previously rejected the UFCW in actual elections. The case left a lot of hard feelings on the part of people who just wanted a vote. Now that there is a proposed contract, the issue still hasn’t gone away. The Morning Call reports:

Andy Roman was the sole commissioner to vote against moving the contract out of committee and onto the floor for a first reading.

Roman criticized the way Cedarbrook workers voted to join the union, which was not done by secret ballot but by a process called a card check, in which members are sent union cards in the mail and those who sign and return them are effectively voting to join.

Chairman Percy Dougherty agreed, saying he feels the process was ”illegal and unethical,” but the county is beyond that point and now a contract stands ready for a vote.

“Unethical” pretty much sums it up. But the union officials have tipped their strategy of rushing past the point of reasoned debate to say “well, we’re already past the card check issue so let’s just sign a contract now.”