Labor & Employment Law

New House ?Workforce? Committee Highlights Anti-Union Goals

By Mike Hall

Last week, we highlighted a move by House Republicans who are so incensed at the word “labor”?because some folks might complete the phrase with the word “union”?that they ripped out the word “labor” from the name of the House Education and Labor Committee.

While the re-naming game comes off as childish and petty, a look at what the newly named House Education and Workforce Committee has at the top of its agenda is a serious assault on workers and their unions.

The committee?s revamped website includes a screed against workers, unions and labor laws decked out in rhetoric about defending workplace democracy.

Their idea of defending workplace democracy involves repealing a rule that enables airline and rail workers to choose to join a union by majority votes. The National Mediation Board (NMB) rule passed last year.

At a time when millions of jobless workers need retraining to get employed, these House Republicans are targeting rules on Trade Adjustment Assistance for workers who lose their jobs to unfair foreign trade.

They are singling out laws that protect wages of construction workers and are even upset that President Obama talks with labor leaders. Of course, they conveniently forget the president also meets with corporate leaders. These Republicans prefer to hear just one side of an issue and frankly don?t give a hoot about opposing views.

Hey, look. This isn?t our first rodeo and these outrageous accusations and sensationalist charges were not unexpected, nor is the hypocrisy. Who really expected House Republicans to mount a zealous campaign against corporate corruption, excessive CEO pay and perks, or denounce the lack of shareholders’ rights and lack of fair and free boardroom elections?

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on January 11, 2011 (boomark / email).