Frequent Labor Pains reader Silence Dogood of The Union News blog writes us:

I noticed your wake-up call to the private sector on EFCA …

You may want to consider that the public-sector “EFCA” laws enacted in Oregon and Mass. this year will be expanded to the private sector there first. In the video of the Oregon bill-signing ceremony, the state AFL-CIO boss pretty much signaled that.

When he’s right, he’s right. This will be a critical issue to watch. While it will take a federal action to completely kill secret ballot elections for most working Americans, there are many who aren’t subject to that law and could have their rights stolen by state law changes.

Getting into the nitty-gritty, Silence isn’t silent about these two … er, business-unfriendly … states’ politics:

Remember – Oregon has scheduled an emergency, first-ever (extra-constitutional) regular off-year session in ’08 and I’d bet a bill has already been prepared by legislative council. There are many announced GOP retirements in the state legislature including the failed House leaders, and I expect many of them won’t ever show their face again, even to cast a veto vote. I think Mass. is full-time so they’ll take a shot soon, too.