Monday, March 23, 2015
Today in the House of Representatives, a Republican resolution undermining fair labor union elections and rolling back decades of workers’ rights protections was approved by a partisan vote of 232-186. All 183 House Democrats present voted no.
New Jersey’s House Democrats were led by Rep. Frank Pallone. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Albio Sires, Donald Norcross and Bonnie Watson Coleman also voted no. The Democrats present were joined by Republican Reps. Frank LoBiondo and Chris Smith, who were two of the three Republicans in the entire House to vote against this resolution.
We thank all of our representatives who stood with labor, especially Congressmen LoBiondo and Smith, who bucked their party to do so. For a complete vote tally, CLICK HERE.
“All we are saying is, ‘let’s make sure that workers have a voice,” said Rep. Norcross, the first union business agent elected to Congress, who spoke on the floor of the House before this afternoon’s vote. “This is about creating an equal playing field, which certainly isn’t there. That’s why I’m urging my colleagues to vote against this anti-American, anti-democracy, anti-worker resolution.”
The Republican joint resolution would block new worker safeguards that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) established in December to update the board’s election rules. This is a disappointing affront to the NLRB, an independent federal agency was created to prevent unfair labor practices and protect employees’ rights. The Senate passed it earlier this month. President Obama says he will veto it.
The resolution rejects the NLRB’s plan to speed up the process by which employees could vote on whether to form a union, including having documents filed electronically, ensuring all parties receive information on a timely basis, and establishing procedures designed to reduce litigation.
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