Recently, Sen. Susan Collins’ corporate friends have attacked Rep. Tom Allen for supporting the Employees’ Free Choice Act. A union election that happened in Auburn several years ago demonstrates why Allen is right and Collins is wrong on that issue.

After Stride Rite Shoe Co. decided to buy the former Belgrade Shoe Co. building in Auburn, it hired back many of the shoeworkers who had been employed by Belgrade. A substantial number of the employees signed cards saying that they wanted LASPA, the local shoeworkers’ union, to represent them.

Then Stride Rite began a campaign of fear. It persuaded many of their employees that it would close if the union got in. Since that was a time of high unemployment, the workers were afraid for their jobs. The result was that the union lost in a close election.

Although the NLRB overturned the election because of the company’s illegal tactics, the union’s strength had been undermined and it was unable to negotiate a strong contract for its members.

The result was that Stride Rite’s illegal election campaign paid off.

Since the Stride Rite election, corporate employers have become even more efficient about fighting off unions through intimidation.

The Employees’ Free Choice Act would help to balance the playing field and make it more likely that employees could make decisions about union representation in an atmosphere free from fear and harassment.

Curtis Webber, Auburn