On Thursday President Barack Obama officially rescinded former Service Employees International Union and AFL-CIO attorney Craig Becker’s nomination to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. The move shapes up as the latest in a growing line of Republican victories surrounding the board. (more)
It seems like lately at every turn the National Labor Relations Board tries something new to upend years of fair workplace practices and standards. As the board drifts more and more into being an official taxpayer-funded extension of Big Labor, it gives new meaning to the old adage, “if you can’t win the game, change the rules.” (more)
Like any fiscal conservative furious about runaway government spending, I have a wish list of programs (and some whole departments) that could be trimmed or eliminated. These usually are the classic government bloat, elected representatives’ pet programs, or simply areas where local governments or private enterprises could provide more efficient and better services. (more)
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ranks high on the budget cut list for top House Republicans. (more)
If President Barack Obama’s attempt to get the Senate to approve his re-nomination of former high-ranking AFL-CIO and SEIU lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is successful, it will likely allow unions around the country to forcibly open companies’ doors to labor organizers, and companies won’t be able to do anything to stop them. (more)
Sens. Mike Enzi, Wyoming Republican, and Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, are calling on President Barack Obama to rescind the nomination of former top AFL-CIO and SEIU employee Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). (more)
In November, 2008, we entered an Orwellian world in which slavery has come to be called freedom. As you may remember, despite all of the efforts of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid, Congress stopped short of passing the Employee Free Choice Act – a piece of legislation, sponsored by the AFL-CIO, which was aimed at denying employees a genuinely free choice via the secret ballot when it came to deciding whether to unionize their workplace or not. To his great credit, George McGovern emerged from the shadows to speak up against this proposal, and his opposition provided cover for those Democrats in the Senate who shared his misgivings. (more)
During this past election cycle, labor unions invested over $200 million in support of Democrat candidates. Much of that money came from four of the country’s largest unions: the AFL-CIO and SEIU’s combined contribution was $88 million, AFSCME added $91 million and the National Education Association $40 million. This money was donated to Democrat candidates in hopes of helping them maintain a majority in the House. These hopes were crushed on November 2nd when the Republicans took back control of the House with a resounding win. This loss has effectively ended the unions’ dream of getting the Employee Free Choice Act (card check) enacted in the near future. (more)
For nearly two years, talk concerning labor law reform has centered on the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act (EFCA). As the Congressional session progressed and the small business community organized, the likelihood of EFCA’s passage — or any legislation eliminating the secret ballot and mandating binding arbitration — diminished. And as EFCA’s chances of passage began to fade, Big Labor shifted its attention to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an independent federal agency whose mission is to “prevent and remedy unfair labor practices committed by private sector employers and unions.” (more)
The function of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is to administer the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the primary law governing relations between unions and private sector employers. In the past year, the NLRB has become increasingly anti-employer. It started with the recess appointment of labor radical Craig Becker, a former attorney for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who did not receive enough support in the Senate to get confirmed. As a result, President Obama delivered “payback” to Big Labor bosses by naming Becker to the board through a recess appointment, doing an end-run around Congress. (more)
Americans are demanding major changes in the way Washington operates, but while the heat is on Congress, more power than ever resides in the executive agencies. That means making government more accountable will require a redesign of the federal regulatory rulemaking process, which currently serves as a shield that allows laws to be made in an unaccountable and unchecked fashion — out of public view and insulated from voters. This must end. (more)
President Obama on Saturday gave organized labor a big payback for its help in pushing his health-care reform across the finish line, unilaterally appointing a controversial pro-union attorney to the body that arbitrates the rules for union elections, after his nomination attracted bipartisan opposition in the Senate. (more)
Senate Republicans united Thursday to voice their opposition to a recess appointment for labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. All 41 members of the minority signed a letter to Obama urging him not to use the upcoming recess to seat Becker after the Senate held up his nomination last month. (more)
As if the Obama administration hasn’t given union bosses enough “payback,” it is poised to give them even more – only this time the gift is as dangerous as Big Labor’s other agenda items such as the Employee “Forced” Choice Act, and will result in more job loss. (more)
Multiple sources say the White House could unveil its new ‘High Road’ contracting policy as early as this month in response to the recent spate of media reports. The proposal would leverage federal contracting to raise wages and support unionized companies, a significant shift from the government’s longstanding emphasis on obtaining best value for the taxpayer. (more)
President Barack Obama has appointed Service Employees International Union President Andrew Stern to a new commission tasked with coming up with recommendations to help reduce the federal deficit. While disappointing, this is not surprising. Stern’s appointment is merely the culmination of a series of appointments by the Obama administration of individuals closely associated with SEIU to government posts. (more)
Organized labor is increasing pressure on the White House to support the nomination of labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Becker’s nomination was stalled in the Senate this week when two Democrats joined Republicans in opposition. (more)
The talk in Washington may be of bipartisanship, but the acrimony is increasing. (more)
Republicans are up in arms over a pro-union contracting policy currently under consideration by the White House, arguing the measures will significantly increase the cost of government contracts and are part of the Obama administration’s efforts to implement policies that favor organized labor while circumventing Congress. (more)
Going into the weekend, newly sworn-in Senator Scott Brown is the only thing anyone in Washington is talking about aside from the weather. Regardless of whom you read, one thing seems certain: Pundits expect the junior senator from Massachusetts to put the brakes on President Obama and the Democrats’ ambitious legislative agenda. (more)
