Free US Law Dictionary

National Labor Relations Board

The National Labor Relations Board (or NLRB) is an independent agency of the United States Government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union related situations or instances of protected concerted activity. The NLRB is governed by a five-person board and a General Counsel, all of whom are appointed by the President with U.S. Senate consent. Board members are appointed to 5 year terms and the General Counsel is appointed to a 4 year term. The General Counsel acts as a prosecutor and the Board acts as an appellate judicial body from decisions of administrative law judges. The NLRB was established in 1935 through passage of the National Labor Relations Act (better known as the Wagner Act), which was amended by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947.