(National Labor Relations Board)
The National Labor Relations Board voted Wednesday on parts of its proposed rule to streamline union representation elections. The Hill reports that:
The NLRB did not consider the full union election rule Wednesday, voting only on portions that would limit litigation surrounding union elections.
The board did not vote on measures that could speed up union elections and share workers’ contact information with union organizers, among other changes. Those provisions are still under consideration for a future vote, according to the NLRB.
But the big news may be that the NLRB was in a position to vote on anything in the first place. The board, which has five slots, is down to three members due to Republicans blocking President Obama's nominees. Three is the minimum at which the board can function, and Brian Hayes, its lone Republican member, had threatened to resign in order to prevent the passage of this and any other measure that would make it even minimally easier for workers to vote to join unions. Though Hayes continued to oppose the rule, he at least showed up to be outvoted, because:
Hayes said he decided against quitting, explaining during the board meeting that he felt his resignation would not only deprive the board of the views he represents, but also tar the image of the agency.
“It is not my nature to be obstructionist,” he said at the meeting. “I believe resignation would cause the very same harm and collateral damage to the reputation of this agency.”
Even with Hayes showing up, there's a narrow window left before Republicans shut the NLRB down. Current member Craig Becker is on a recess appointment that expires at the end of the year.