McDonald's USA President, Don Thompson

I read an interesting article in Crain’s Chicago Business yesterday that talked about how McDonald’s USA is urging their franchise owner-operators to call their representatives to oppose the so called “Employee Free Choice Act” currently being considered in Congress.

McDonald’s USA President Don Thompson (photo left) warns the owner-operators of the “gravity of the issue” and how this legislation would negatively impact their industry.

So, what’s this all about anyway? It sounds like McDonald’s is fighting against a good thing – right? I mean, even president-elect Obama supports this bill. Hold on… not so fast!

Under current law, even McDonald’s employees have the right to organize unions. There is nothing stopping them from doing so. What this law changes is the way the vote is taken. Currently it must be a secret ballot. Under the new law it would be a “card-check” system where each person voting would have to sign their name along with their vote. This of course opens the employee up to fear of pressure and consequences for their vote. McDonald’s employs many younger people who would be especially susceptible to big union coercion.

The United States has long viewed voting as a private matter, and a history of using the relative safety and security of the secret ballot. This new law seeks to circumvent this foundational principle and historical practice.

I agree with McDonald’s USA on this one… we must protect and keep the principle and practice of the secret ballot alive and well in the USA.

Since I also have a new email for my business, I’ve decided to log the first 10 senders to my address at: randal@headstandmedia.com:
1 – Cindy Hernandez: October 4, 2007
2 – Steve Tanner: October 4, 2007 (you can tell who is watching my blog!)
3 – Noel Birkey: Jean Stoffer Design: October 5, 2007
4 – Amber Cox: October 5, 2007
5 – Benjamin Nelson: Somedaysoon Design: October 5, 2007
6 – Deb Knoner: October 7, 2007
7 – Mark Goeke: Encyclopedia Britannica
8 – Dwight Nelson: HBN Design
9 – Derek Taylor: Taylor Design Studios
10 – Nicko Sahlas: Cheftalk.com

Get yourself named on Randy’s List for free!

It has been 10-15 years since I commuted downtown to work, first at 742 N. Wells, then in Printers Row. It took me about 45 minutes from door to door today – not too bad.

I was able to have lunch with a friend named Mark Goeke who works downtown only a few blocks away. As I was going to meet him for lunch, I ran into another old friend, Lee Hoffner, who now works for RMG Connect located in the Mart. I am having lunch with another friend, Patrick Flanagan, tomorrow. It can feel like a very small world sometimes!

Here’s a picture of the building I am in, one of my architectural favorites, right on the curve of the Chicago River. It reminds me of a series of illustrations I did back in the 80′s for a group called “Friends of the Chicago River.” Here is a sketch I did for that study.