Advocacy group commends Senate vote on NLRB appointments – National Consumers League
July 31, 2013
Contact: Ben Klein, NCL Communications, (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org
Washington, DC – The National Consumers League commends the United States Senate for its votes to confirm five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), ensuring its ability to protect American workers with a fully functioning Board for the first time in a decade. The NLRB is an independent federal agency whose board members are appointed by the President.
The new NLRB Board members are: Mark Pearce (current Chairmen), Kent Hirozawa, Nancy Schiffer, Harry Johnson, and Philip Miscimarra.
The following statement may be attributed to NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg:
The role of the NLRB is to deliver to both private and union employees the right to bargain for a better work life, as granted by the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRB plays a vital role in the safeguarding of employees’ rights to organize and promoting civil and efficient union-management relations and collective bargaining.
For years, a politicized and understaffed NLRB has been on the brink of becoming inoperable and unable to render any decisions. Without the Senate confirmation of members, the cop on the beat would have been forced to abandon its post this August. We are pleased that the Senate was able to come to this overdue action, ending questions of legitimacy for the Board and ensuring its ability to protect workers and employers.
In the current era, in which workers from all sectors have been under attack, protections like those theoretically provided by the NLRA are more critical than ever. Conservative opposition determined to prevent the NLRB from being fully functional and to undermine the federal laws in place to protect workers has finally been overcome by a series of political moves, including the President’s recess appointments and, finally, this Senate confirmation vote. We are pleased at this bipartisan vote, a step forward for the American worker; and we hope it’s a sign of better things to come.
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
