ABC April 9 criticized President Obama’s renomination of Mark Pearce to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as a move to promote the narrow policy goals of politically powerful labor unions.  

“During Chairman Pearce’s tenure, the NLRB majority has pressed forward in its wholesale transformation of American labor policy on behalf of big labor bosses,” said ABC Vice President of Federal Affairs Geoff Burr. 

Specifically, Burr called attention to NLRB actions on:

“ambush” elections, which would reduce amount of the time between when a union files a representation petition and an election takes place from the current average of 40 days to as few as 17 days; and
the notice positing rule, which would prevent employee access to balanced information about their labor rights.

“Amid today’s economic challenges, we cannot afford to let the board continue its radical pro-union agenda, which will further jeopardize economic recovery and threaten to harm the nearly 87 percent of the construction industry that is not affiliated with any labor organization,” Burr said.

In February, Obama also renominated Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to the board, only a few weeks after an appeals court ruled their 2012 recess appointments were unconstitutional. The ruling invalidates decisions unlawfully made over the past year because the board did not have a quorum; however, once it was issued, Pearce defiantly stated the board “will continue to perform [its] statutory duties and issue decisions.” In response, ABC called on Congress to restrain the NLRB.

On March 12, the NLRB announced it would seek U.S. Supreme Court appeal of the decision. 

“Based on today’s nomination, and the president’s actions earlier this year, it could not be more clear that the administration is more interested in playing politics than seating a qualified, impartial slate of board members.  

In addition to Pearce, Obama nominated two other members. Read the release on the NLRB’s website.