Isakson Praises Senate’s Rejection of Labor Lawyer to Serve on National Labor Relations Board
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Concerned Becker Would Have Used Position to Unfairly Favor Labor Unions Just as New Nominees to National Mediation Board Have Done 2/9/10 U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today praised the Senate’s decision against limiting debate on the nomination of Craig Becker to serve on the National Labor Relations Board, amid questions Becker would use his position to bypass Congress and manipulate the federal regulatory process to favor labor unions if he is confirmed. The Senate rejected the cloture motion on Becker’s nomination by a vote of 52-33. “It is clear that labor groups see Craig Becker’s nomination to the NLRB as an opportunity to do by regulatory authority what could not be done on the floor of the Senate,” Isakson said. “I voted against the confirmation of Mr. Becker with hope the administration will send a more convincing nominee to the floor who is committed to equal treatment and maintaining the delicate balance between labor unions and management in this country.” In charging that Becker and the labor unions are conspiring
to use the NLRB to impose pro-union rules that they can’t get
passed in Congress, Isakson pointed to comments by
Stewart Acuff, chief of staff and assistant to
the president of the Utility Workers Union of America, who wrote
on Feb. 4 in the Huffington Post that, “If we aren't able to
pass the Employee Free Choice Act, we will work with President
Obama and Vice President Biden and their appointees to the
National Labor Relations Board to change the rules governing
forming a union through administrative action.” During Becker’s nomination hearing before the Senate HELP
Committee, Isakson questioned Becker about his past writings
that have indicated a belief that the NLRB has the authority to
make dramatic changes to the National Labor Relations Act
without congressional action, including changes denying workers
a secret ballot. Isakson is strongly opposed to the so-called Employee Free
Choice Act, also known as Card Check, which would eliminate the
rights of workers to participate in a secret-ballot election in
order to certify the creation of a union. Instead, the
legislation would force employees to make a public declaration
of their preference by allowing union organizers to bypass
elections if a majority of employees sign cards authorizing a
union.
Becker is currently associate general counsel to both the
AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union. The
five-member NLRB to which he has been nominated supervises union
elections, investigates labor practices and issues rulings that
interpret the National Labor Relations Act. During a speech on the Senate floor, Isakson also noted that
pro-union members of another federal labor panel – the National
Mediation Board – are also using their positions to impose
pro-union rules. In 2009, the Senate confirmed two of President
Obama’s nominees to the National Mediation Board only to watch
them overturn 75 years of precedent by fiat just weeks after
their confirmation. “I listened to these appointees over and over again say they
would be fair, say they would not be biased and say they did not
have a preconceived position. Within weeks of being seated, they
passed a resolution to change 75 years of precedent to shift the
balance between labor and management,” Isakson said. “I remain
concerned that Mr. Becker will follow their lead if he wins
confirmation and compromise fairness to grant favors to the
labor unions that currently employ him.” |
