09/16/2011

M11-034

To:                          SPEEA Council Members

From:                     SPEEA Legislative and Public Affairs Committee

Subject:                 PRE-SUBMITTED NEW BUSINESS:  Support of keeping NLRB processes non-politicized and protecting Labor’s rights.

Background

House Bill H.R. 2587 passed in the house on 09/15/2011. The related bills are: H.RES.372, S.1523.  The Bill would curb the labor board’s legal authority by prohibiting it from ordering a company to relocate its workers. 

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR02587:|/home/LegislativeData.php|

 

This bill and similar measures would permit what are presently illegal actions by employers, and would remove the NLRB’s ability to enforce current labor law. If approved, such measures would impede the ability of the NLRB to protect Union and Workers rights.

 

The AFL-CIO, IFPTE, State and County Labor councils oppose this type of bill which attacks rights of unions and their members.

 

250 law Professors said the following about H.R. 2587 or similar bills effects, “Employers will be able to eliminate jobs or transfer employees or work for no purpose other than to punish employees for exercising their rights and the Board will be powerless to direct the employer to return the work regardless of the circumstances. And these employees will lose their jobs because they tried to exercise their federally protected rights.”

 

Statement by 250 Law Professors:

http://www.aflcio.org/joinaunion/upload/hr2587_professors.pdf

 

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll711.xml  See link for votes from California, Texas, and other states where we have members.

 

Washington Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Doc Hastings, Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dave Reichert voting “yes,” Kansas Reps. Tim Huelskamp, Lynn Jenkins, Kevin Yoder, Mike Pompeo voting “yes”. Oregon Rep.Greg Walden voting “yes”.  Utah Reps. Rob Bishop, Jim Matheson(D), and Jason Chaffetz voting “yes”.

Washington Reps. Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen, Norm Dicks, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith voting “no”. Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader voting “no”.

 

NLRB fact sheet:

http://www.nlrb.gov/boeing-complaint-fact-sheet

AFL-CIO Trumka statement:

http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/prsptm/pr09152011.cfm

IFPTE Statement:

http://www.ifpte.org/news/details/Bill-Aimed-at-Gutting-the-National-Labor-Relations-Board-to-Hit-House-Floor-on-Thursday

IFPTE Letter:

http://www.ifpte.org/downloads/news/manager/113c.pdf

Dennis Kucinich “Dear Colleague” Letter:

http://www.ifpte.org/downloads/news/manager/113d.pdf

Rep Rick Larsen statement:

http://larsen.house.gov/news/press-releases/2011/09/national-labor-relations-board-case-should-be-determined-on-facts-and-the-law-not-on-politics.shtml

Boeing Position:

http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/181675-boeing-remains-on-sidelines-while-house-gop-pushes-anti-nlrb-bill

Boeing’s Lawyer statements

http://iam751.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/i-do-expect-to-lose-boeings-lawyer-tells-congress/

 

 

SPEEA L&PA Committee Recommendation

The SPEEA Legislative and Public Affairs Committee recommends passage of this motion.

 

MOTION

It is moved that:  THE SPEEA COUNCIL opposes any efforts to politicize the NLRB legal process and/or weaken the NLRB, Labor Unions, and their members’ rights, through such bills as H.R. 2587, Senate Bill S 1523 or any other such bills in the future.

Pro’s

NLRB processes are used by unions to protect labor rights; SPEEA IFPTE local 2001 has used the NLRB for our members.

Con’s

South Carolina politicians and others may not like our efforts to protect our rights under the NLRB process and could use it against us in the future.