The Truth in Employment Act of 2009 (TEA) would allow employers to lawfully fire employees who are suspected of “salting,” or attempting to organize the contractor’s workforce from within on behalf of a labor union.  The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and in the House by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). 

TEA would amend the National Labor Relations Act to protect the employer from being required to hire any person who is seeking a job in order to promote interests unrelated to those of the employer.  “Small businesses should never be forced to hire undercover union organizers who seek to bully workers and harm companies,” said Senator DeMint. “We must pass the Truth in Employment Act or successful small businesses will remain vulnerable to union salting tactics that threaten jobs."  Click here to read Senator DeMint’s press release on TEA. 

Does TEA have a realistic chance of becoming law?  Not really.  The Republicans unsuccessfully tried to pass TEA in 2005 and 2007, and that was when they had a fellow Rebpublican in the White House and much better numbers in both houses.  Expect this one to die on the vine. 

Employers can take some solace, however; last year, the National Labor Relations Board held in Toering Electric Company  that an employer is not required to hire an employee who is not "genuinely interested in seeking to establish an employment relationship with the employer," thus significantly restricting the amount of salt in unions’ diets.  If you have concerns about union salting in your workplace, you might want to read the NLRB’s Guideline Memorandum Concerning Toering Electric Company.