Civil Rights and Union Membership

Richard Davis draws my attention this morning to an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle proposing that union membership be added to the federal Civil Rights Act as a protected class in employment.  These "six little words" -- prohibiting discrimination in employment "on the basis of union membership" -- would, the author proposes, allow workers to "defend themselves" against "union-busting thugs."  How?  By filing lawsuits, of course.

But is the proposal -- which if enacted, might go by its short title, the "Labor Lawyers' Full Employment Act" -- entirely without merit?  Query whether the modest addition of just another ten words -- "or the refusal to join or financially support a union" would make it a fair compromise?

(Cross-posted at Olympia Business Watch)