Business groups are crying foul over the National Labor Relations Board’s decision to move forward with an investigation into Wal-Mart’s labor practices.
The NLRB, which referees disputes between companies, workers and unions, said they found merit in some of the charges against Wal-Mart while dismissing others.
The board wants to look into allegations that in 13 states the company unlawfully threatened, disciplined or terminated workers who engaged in legal strikes. But at least one pro-business advocacy group worried that the Obama administration was looking out for union political allies.
“It should not be lost upon anyone, that this is one of the first official actions by the new general counsel Richard Griffin, who was previously an official within a union that had serial management problems, including connections to organized crime,” said Fred Wszolek, a spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute, in a statement.
Griffin, who formerly served on the board of directors for the AFL-CIO’s lawyers coordinating committee and was also general counsel for the International Union of Operating Engineers, was sworn in at NLRB on Nov. 4.
Griffin was confirmed by a 55-44 vote in the Senate. Republicans largely opposed Griffin because they viewed the NLRB as being too pro-union.
The timing of the news release of the Board’s decision was also of concern to Wszolek. The NLRB didn’t officially release a statement until after 5 p.m. Monday. But prior to that release, reporters at left-leaning websites like ThinkProgress, The Nation and Salon had caught wind of the decision and reported it.
AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka also trumpeted the Board’s decision a couple of hours before an official statement was released.
“Next, the fact this issue came to light in an announcement made by the United Food and Commercial Workers, even before the new general counsel made public any information related to the matter,” said Wszolek who added that the timing confirms fears that “union bosses are completely unchecked, pulling the strings in government.”
Wal-Mart and United Food and Commercial Workers have long battled over the union’s efforts to unionize company workers. The issue came to a head before the Thanksgiving holiday last year.
“Today’s decision addresses charges filed one year ago in advance of Black Friday 2012, when Walmart managers escalated their efforts to threaten and discourage workers from going on legally protected strikes,” read a statement released on Monday from United Food and Commercial Workers.
The NLRB’s decision Monday is a procedural step. Wal-Mart now has the opportunity to settle with the workers, said a spokesman for the NLRB.
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