In several actions around the country Tuesday—including a rally outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C.—working families and their allies will tell the U.S. Senate it’s time to confirm President Obama’s bipartisan package of five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Congress is due back to work July 8 and the nominees—three Democrats and two Republicans—must be confirmed before August, when the term of one of the current NLRB members ends and the board will be without a quorum.
The day of action, called by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), also will include the delivery of tens of thousands of signatures to several senators’ offices in their home states demanding action on the NLRB nominees.
Regarding the Chamber rally, the CWA says:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has continually worked to block our rights to workplace justice—and so while the Senate is out of town, we will take our campaign for a fully confirmed NLRB to their offices.
In a party-line vote the five won committee approval in May, but it is uncertain whether Senate Republicans will use procedural maneuvers to block an up-or-down confirmation vote. They have engaged in a years’ long battle—including blocking previous NLRB nominations—to cripple the NLRB that includes legislation to de-fund the board, to shut it down, to curtail its work and legal challenges that have stalled justice for many workers.
