On Jan. 12, President Trump announced his intent to nominate John F. Ring to be a member of the National Labor Relations Board. Ring is a partner at the law firm of Morgan Lewis & Bockius and co-leader of the firm’s labor/management relations practice. If confirmed, Ring will reinstate a Republican majority on the board; the current board is deadlocked at 2-2, following former Chairman Phil Miscimarra’s departure in December.

ABC Vice President of Legislative & Political Affairs Kristen Swearingen praised the prospective nomination in her role as chair of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW). 

“CDW commends the President’s announcement stating his intent to nominate John F. Ring as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board,” said Swearingen. "Ring has worked with employees and employers over several decades in his respected career. His experience will enable him to quickly join Republican board members William Emanuel and Marvin Kaplan in restoring objectivity to what has become, in recent years, an activist panel.

“CDW believes Ring is highly qualified to build on the progress the board made prior to Chairman Miscimarra’s departure. Perhaps most notably, the board’s decision in Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors, Ltd.—which overturned the board’s radical decision in Browning-Ferris Industries concerning what constitutes joint employment—signifies a new era for the Board focused on implementing a balanced approach to federal labor policy.

“CDW is hopeful Ring will be confirmed by the Senate by early Spring, considering the board’s current deadlock. We urge the Senate to act expeditiously so the board can continue to interpret the National Labor Relations Act in a manner that respects the rights of both workers and employers, ushering in a new period of economic progress for all Americans.”