Labor & Employment Law

NLRB [not] running Google ads

From various sources we have learned that the NLRB has been running ads on Google. (See below for a screen shot.)

That's pretty interesting all by itself.

The ads that have surfaced appear to be devoted to promoting formation of unions. That's even more interesting, because it would seem to be considerably less than a neutral stance by the NLRB.

The NLRB has published an explanation, quoted here in full:

"It has been reported that the NLRB spent Agency funds on Google ads. An initial review indicates that the ads were provided at no charge beginning in 2008 by Google. The Agency has decided to discontinue them."

So, the suggestion is that so long as the NLRB isn't spending taxpayer money on the ads, then it's OK. But they've decided to stop doing it.

My view: Running these ads was a huge mistake for a government agency that should be taking a neutral role on questions of joining and not joining unions. It doesn't help that somebody other than the taxpayer was paying for them. The political backlash will be nasty.

Full post as published by Ross' Employment Law Blog on March 04, 2011 (boomark / email).