Labor’s Few GOP Friends Vote With Dems on NLRB Rules

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/04/labors-few-gop-friends-vote-with-dems-on-nlrb-rules/

by Clark Mindock on April 3, 2015

A Republican effort to squash a National Labor Relations Board rule that would streamline the union election process was rejected by President Obama this week – becoming his fourth veto while in office.

Democrats have historic connections to unions and their political contributions. But so do a few Republicans, including those who dissented from their caucus. The votes in the House and Senate to send the joint resolution to Obama’s desk came down nearly on party lines; just four Republicans crossed the aisle.


(Washington State Department of Transportation via Flickr)

The rule was issued in December by the NLRB and is expected to go into effect on April 14. It has been called an “ambush election” rule by Republicans in opposition because it significantly cuts down how long it takes for union elections to be held from the time a union files a petition with the agency asking for one. The current average length of the interim period is 38 days; the new rules will trim that to as little as 11 days. Opponents argue that that time frame doesn’t give businesses — especially small businesses — enough time to react.

“With his veto, the president has once again put the interests of his political allies ahead of the small business owners and hardworking Americans who create jobs and build a stronger economy,” Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement.

FULL story at link.