Voices of dissent on EFCA seem to be emerging daily now, as substantial Democrat figures express concerns about the potential impact of the legislation.  The latest... Reverend Al Sharpton, who took time during a radio program earlier today to discuss the coercive nature of EFCA's card-check and arbitration provisions, and their possible effect on minority-owned small business.  Featured during the discussion were NAN Executive Director Charlie King, and businessman Sylvester Smith (of Senator Blanche Lincoln's home state of Arkansas):

Al Sharpton:Yeah, the outsourcing, well I’m all for, and as well for those who don’t believe in the right to organizing, clearly I’m for any legislation to give any state the right to organize, but I’m talking about specifically where workers are not protected from coercion, in terms of these card-checks that you talk about, and as arbitration because explain, Charlie King, to me the whole question that you raised, if you have a federal arbitrator who says that this is the deal, even when the union only established out of card-check, is the deal for two years, and there’s nothing you can do about it, I mean, a lot of the business that we afford for the African American community to get contracts and sub contracts and all. They could face some very serious problems here.

Charlie:They could face incredible problems with it. Number one, it divides small businesses so that the employer and the employee can’t even really talk about what this contract is, and the second piece of it, going back again to the secret ballot is, and Sylvesters exactly right, is that the civil rights movement was predicated on the right to be able to go in and say what you honestly believe without fear of reprisal. That’s why we have the secret ballot in electing our president, our elected officials, and it’s a critical component of what we’ve fought for.

Al Sharpton: So let me get this very clear because I’m going to have a debate on this, we’re going to really get into this as we get toward the inauguration, but you’re not against organizing unions, you’re not saying that workers don’t need unions but we’re saying that these two items are going too far. That’s your position, Sylvester.

Sylvester:Yes sir.

Al Sharpton:That’s mine, and I think that we need to debate it and be real clear about it as this campaign is launched, we’ll do it starting next week. Thank you, Sylvester, we’re going to kick off and we’re going to have you tell your legislatures how you feel about it one way or another. You know how I am. We keep it real. That’s my position. Let’s see what yours is. We’ll take a break. We’ll be right back. Keeping it real. Al Sharpton, right after this.

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