July 31, 2013

NLRB Nominees Confirmed by Senate

For the first time in a decade, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has a full slate of confirmed board members.

The five members are current NLRB Chairman Mark Pearce; Nancy Schiffer, a former AFL-CIO associate general counsel; and NLRB attorney Kent Hirozawa, currently the chief counsel to Pearce; and attorneys Philip Miscimarra and Harry Johnson, who have represented management in labor disputes.

This is welcome news for workers everywhere. With the NLRB at full strength, workers will be able to stick together and speak up for fair wages, good benefits, and safe working conditions without fear of employer intimidation or harassment.

Without the NLRB, employees who have been cheated or treated unfairly would have little recourse for wrongs committed against them.

Senate Republicans agreed to hold up-or-down votes on the NLRB nominees as part of a deal with Democrats to avoid rule changes that would limit the ability of the minority party to filibuster executive branch nominees.

These confirmations are a pleasant change from the obstructionist tactics Senate Republicans have become known for.

Hopefully this marks the beginning of a more functional U.S. Senate that is more responsive to the needs of working families.