Thursday, January 15, 2009

NLRB Precedents in Jeopardy Under Obama

This article outlines the Top 10 precedents from the Bush era NLRB which are in danger during the Obama administration.

There will also be a changing of the guard at the National Labor Relations Board in 2009 that promises to roll back the pro-employer decisions of the 2004-2007 board, led by President George W. Bush-appointed Chairman Robert J. Battista.

Between 2004 and 2007, the so-called "Bush board," utilizing a 3-2 Bush-appointed majority, established several precedents favorable to employers, reversed several Clinton-era board precedents and was subject to heavy criticism by unions and its own minority members. Now, President-elect Barack Obama, who just selected Hilda Solis, a strong union supporter, as his secretary of Labor, will have the opportunity to dramatically reshape the NLRB by appointing pro-union board members.

It is widely predicted that the new Obama board will reverse as many of these controversial pro-employer Bush board precedents as they can get their hands on.

Wanna slow the recovery? Back unions.