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Published Saturday, October 08, 2011 in Local
Westmoreland cosponsors bill to eliminate National Labor Relations Board
From Staff Reports
news@newnan.com
U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga. Third District, is supporting H.R. 2926, the National Labor Relations Board Reorganization Act of 2011.
The legislation, sponsored by Representative Trey Gowdy (SC-04) would eliminate the National Labor Relations Board and transfer responsibilities to the Department of Justice and the Office of Labor-Management Standards at the Department of Labor.
The NLRB came under fire earlier this year when they filed a lawsuit against Boeing and demanded Boeing close its new plant in Charleston, S.C., claiming they had violated labor laws by building the plant there rather than in Washington State, according to Westmoreland.
"In the 2010 fiscal year, the National Labor Relations Board spent $283.4 million of the American taxpayers' money," said Westmoreland. "And they used that money to sue an American company for creating jobs in a state disproportionately hard hit by the economic downturn because it's a right-to-work state. The NLRB clearly has an agenda that supports labor unions above the actual workers, putting the interests of unions ahead of employees. They should no longer be trusted with taxpayer money."
The Bureau of Labor Relations Enforcement would be created within the Department of Justice to specifically handle claims of unfair labor practices. As the agency tasked with ensuring American law is properly enforced, they have the necessary resources to handle claims that the National Labor Relations Act has been violated, according to Westmoreland. The Office of Labor-Management Standards within the Department of Labor already has regional offices across the United States with experienced employees who could take care of the union election certification process currently under the purview of the NLRB, he said.
"The recent overregulation by the National Labor Relations Board has made it clear they are no longer an 'independent' or 'objective' agency," said Westmoreland. "Provisions of the National Labor Relations Act must continue to be enforced, but the NLRB is an unnecessary agency. Between the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor, the federal government has ample resources to protect workers without the assistance of the activist members of the National Labor Relations Board."
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They have saved workers billions.
Posted by Newt Maxwell at 10:55 PM
The NLRB's only responsibility is to enforce labor regulations. The DOL has numerous others. Probably a a clonflict of interest. While I'm not especially happy with the wild swings in NLRB activities depending on presidential appointment, I don't agree that eliminating the NLRB is the right answer. It doesn't address the real issue.
Posted by Graham Dail at 5:52 PM
As if we don't already have the weakest labor laws of any industrial nation. Now the push is on to get rid of one of the very few agencies that does a little to enforce the laws.
Posted by jack roe at 6:39 PM
and turn it over to the DoL and DoJ where NLRA issues will simply be swallowed by immovable bureaucracies.
The NLRB is one of the smallest federal agencies and has the capability of acting quickly when necessary. Neither the DoL nor the DoJ can do that.
Westmoreland is in the NAM's pocket and simply wants to make certain that employee rights are buried, never to be exercised.
Not only is opposed to employee rights, he's basically un-American.
Posted by Jim3K at 6:36 PM
Corruption charge at NLRB...if only it were that simple. One will have to go deeper than that to get rid of corruption! Why not start at the source....like look in the mirror. Many Congressmen have already been conviced and I expect there are many more there!
Posted by Oh, really...... at 5:08 PM
They have cost companies billions.
Posted by Joe Cool at 4:04 PM
I love the way Mr. Westmoreland attacks the NLRB. When the republicans were in power and putting ALL republicans in power on this board, HE had NO PROBLEM with the NLRB. OVER 97 percent of grievences filed by the unions were THROWN OUT by the board. Mr Westmoreland had NO PROBLEM with that
Posted by George W Loomis at 1:43 PM
Good job, Mr. Westmoreland. Way over due. Let's end the corruption paid for with our tax dollars.
Posted by bigbob at 1:22 PM
Hey Mr. Editor why are you censoring the truth about Mr.Westmoreland's membership in ALEC ?
Posted by Newt Maxwell at 1:13 PM
The young marine sergeant I'd never met before sat with me through most of nine innings at 'The Ted' few years ago. He had just returned from Iraq.
"What was your job over there", I asked?
"Mostly I guarded the compound", was his reply.
Durin' the 'seventh inning stretch' he said something I haven't forgot, "You know, Mr. Johnson, If that compound hadn't been there, I wouldn't have been there".
This is a good start. "If the NLRB wasn't there -------------------we'd all be better off.
Way to go Lynn! Good start on a long road toward the leaner govt we need and deserve to survive.
Posted by Joe at 11:32 AM
Here he goes again, no clue and getting headlines in the local paper. Better that he submits his resignation to Congress, at least that would make sense.
Posted by Buck at 10:12 AM
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Lawsuit against Boeing
10/10/2011
Link To This Comment
I read the lawsuit and the fact is that the lawsuit was not against Boeing, but against the union workers who voted to decertify the union. They wanted to punish them for rejecting the union.
Posted by Neva at 12:24 PM