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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2013)
Obama nominates five to NLRB; U.S. House goes after agency WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI)— President Barack Obama rounded out his slate of nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by nominating management lawyers Phillip Miscimarra of Chicago and Harry Johnson III of Los Angeles to two seats on the five-member panel. He also renominated board chairman Mark Gaston Pearce for a new term. Earlier this year, Obama nominated current recess appointees Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to full terms. Block, Griffin and Pearce are De- mocrats. Miscimarra and Johnson are Republicans, both of whom challenged recent actions by the NLRB. Misci- marra criticized the board’s acting gen- eral counsel, Lafe Solomon, for issuing a complaint against Boeing in an unfair labor practice case tied to building a factory in South Carolina. The two “have views on labor rela- tions we do not agree with,” said AFL- CIO President Richard Trumka. “But working people need and deserve a functioning NLRB, and confirmation of a full package will provide that stability.” Many Republicans, backed by big business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have been trying for years to dismantle the agency. The NLRB en- forces workers’ rights on the job and oversees labor-management relations. To this point, Senate Republicans have blocked all of Obama’s nominees via the filibuster. This has forced the president to make recess appointments to keep the board functioning. NLRB foes challenged Obama’s most recent recess appointments, claiming Congress was not technically in recess at the time they were made. In January, a federal appeals court agreed, ruling the recess appointees illegal. All ...Workers’ compensation cuts still on the table (From Page 6) sumptions: 1) Democrats in both the House and the governor’s office will abandon their opposition to further tinkering with workers’ compensation until the 2011 reforms are fully implemented; and 2) Passage of either SB 5127 or 5128 — it doesn’t matter which — will save the state fund so much money that the state will lower workers’ comp rates for all employers, presumably next year. This amid ongoing concerns shared by business, labor, and the gov- ernment that reserve funds depleted by the recession need to be bolstered. The state is already setting aside $82 mil- lion into reserves this year, but has warned that rate increases may be nec- essary in the future to continue build- ing up reserves. And yet, the Senate as- sumes that next year, rates will be significantly lowered. File that first assumption under “Un- likely.” And file the second under “Pure Fantasyland.” The only way the state could lower rates is if a truly extraordinary number of workers suddenly settled their claims for way less than they were worth. That is a nightmare scenario for these injured workers and their families. The truth is, such a scenario would increase state costs because when these families’ buy- out money runs out they will require public services and assistance. The dubious assumptions necessary to try to resurrect these workers’ com- pensation cuts undermine the credibil- ity of the Senate budget. If these are the kinds of fiscal contortions necessary to achieve ideological policy goals in the Republican-controlled Senate, what other kind of fantasy-based assump- tions are in there? (Editor’s Note: David Groves is the communications director for the Wash- ington State Labor Council.) CORRECTION: In an article in the April 5 edition, “Oregon Nurses Association joins American Federation of Teachers,” the Labor Press under-reported the number of workers represented by American Federation of Teachers-Oregon. New units of University of Oregon faculty and Oregon State University graduate research faculty bring AFT-Oregon membership to around 11,000, not 8,700 as was reported. Also, AFT-Ore- gon is not an autonomous AFT affiliate in Oregon, as it was described; it’s a state council of 19 AFT locals. Low Prices! three judges were appointed by a Re- publican president. The NLRB has appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. Republicans are now are coming af- ter the agency with legislation. The House Republican leadership rammed through a bill (HR 1120) April 12 that would invalidate every ruling made NLRB upholds labor charges against Boeing SEATTLE — The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Region 19, has set an Aug. 6 hearing on charges that the Boeing Co. violated federal la- bor law during its recent contract talks with the Society of Professional Engi- neering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) Local 2001. EE R F Boeing is charged with threatening employees with discipline if they com- municated with each other about po- tential layoffs due to bargaining, and for failing to provide SPEEA with in- formation during contract negotiations. Two additional charges were dis- missed. BARGAIN COUNTER Free ads to subscribers DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication Published 1st and 3rd Fridays Send to: NW Labor Press, PO Box 13150, Portland, OR 97213 • 15 words or less • Include address label from front page and telephone number • Sorry, we cannot accept ads over the telephone • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue • Type or print legibly Classified ads MUST include area code on all phone numbers or they will not be published A UTOMOTIVE ’64 FORD FALCON Futura, 4dr, 170 eng, $5,000. 503-289-0066 Ed 1938 FORD PU parts, 2 grills, dash, 3 hood side panels, RF and LR fenders. 503-887-3388 H OUSING LiNCOLN City vacation rental, 3 bdrm, 2 bath. sleeps 8, wi-fi, 2 blks from beach, 3 blks from casino. 503-653-2069 ROCKAWAy ocean front, 503-777-5076, 5 bdrms/2 ba, book now for summer! http://rockawaybeachfrontrental.com ROCKAWAy BEACH rental, 3 bed, 2 bath, sleeps 10, Jacuzzi, 5 min to beach/ shops. Vacationhomerentals.com/43026 W ANTED Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9:30-5:30, Sun 12-6 since the recess appointments (560), and ban the board from deciding any- thing until it has a three-member quo- rum. The vote was 219-209, with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against it. [Oregon U.S. Rep. Greg Walden voted for the bill.] The bill is not expected to be taken up by the Senate. 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