Several major local business groups have signed a letter to City Hall in opposition to a bizarre requirement which city officials have quietly slipped into the contract for private companies seeking to do business at San Antonio International Airport, which requires them essentially not to oppose labor unions from organizing their operations, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

The oddly-named Labor Peace Agreement would prohibit employers from encouraging workers not to unionize, thereby violating their free speech rights which have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Agreement would also 'commit the business to card check certification,' which means workers would not have the right to a secret ballot on whether to organize, all union organizers would have to do would be to provide, or in many cases intimidate, according to opponents, a sufficient number of employees to simply sign cars calling for unionization.

This would be in return for a pledge by the union not to strike, at least for a limited time.

LPA's are starting to be used more and more, according to officials, by elected liberal leaning local officials nationwide, as a way to line the pockets of labor union bosses, who are the big winners with these agreements because labor union membership means mandatory labor union dues.

Private sector groups, not surprisingly, think the use of taxpayer money to allow labor union bosses to reap huge paydays is not a good idea.

"The business and industry groups believe that the labor peace agreement requirement at the airport will be detrimental and prevent locally flavored small businesses from bidding on the contract going forward, as the cost to operate at the airport will be indeterminate," the Chamber of Commerce said in a statement, adding, 'this provision stands in direct opposition to the Mayor and City Council's goal of incentivizing, and facilitating growth of small local businesses.'

"Businesses at the airport are often the first impression visitors get of our community and our small, local business are a reflection of San Antonio and offer a unique customer experience," San Antonio Chamber President and former Councilman Richard Perez said. "I fail to understand how forcing local business owners into a Labor Peace Agreement, taking away their rights, and making it impossible for them to successfully run their businesses and represent our community is beneficial, encouraging, or supportive."

PHOTO: SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT