Labor & Employment Law

Republican Budget Cuts Would Cripple NLRB

By Mike Hall

Proposed Republican budget cuts to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) could force the agency to furlough workers for as many as 64 days between now and Sept. 30, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

The CRS report says if the $50 million cut House Republicans are seeking for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 was enacted, “the substantial reduction in work days would be dramatic.”

Other NLRB activities that could be affected include Board decisions, remedies to ULPs [unfair labor practices], collection of back pay, requests for court injunctions to stop ULPs, responses to public inquires, outreach, completion of financial and other reports, and other activities.

In a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations committees, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) writes:

As you know, the NLRB?s mission is vital to enforce protections for American workers and private businesses under the National Labor Relations Act. According to the CRS, ?[r]educed NLRB staffing could affect employers, employees, and unions.?

Miller says that while Congress should identify and cut ?any wasteful or inefficient spending?:

these cuts to the NLRB are misplaced and are inherently destructive to labor-management relations. They have no place in final legislation.

Click here for the full CRS report and here for Miller?s letter.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 21, 2011 (boomark / email).