H R 800 allows a workplace to become unionized without an election if a majority of workers sign up for the union. Though Randy Kuhl was initially one of the co-sponsors of this bill in the previous Congress, he withdrew his support six days after the election, sending a clear message to unions who endorsed his opponent. Today, Kuhl amplified that message by voting against the bill.
Kuhl was one of the few Republicans from the region who voted against this bill. The list of the thirteen GOP members who joined with the Democratic majority reads like a Whos-Who of vulnerable Northeast Republicans.
This vote probably indicates that Kuhl has given up hope of winning over labor during this election cycle. The 2006 campaign demonstrated that labor will support a credible Democratic opponent despite Kuhl's generally labor-friendly record. Since Kuhl has nothing to gain by courting labor, and much of his base is hostile to unions, he chose to buck the trend among his regional colleagues and vote against the bill.