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.
CAsH PAiD old fishing tackle, wood plugs, reels,
creels, salmon fishing photos, derby items, hunt-
ing knives, game calls, etc. 503-775-4166
OLD WOODWORKiNG tools, planes, lev-
els, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes,
wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools, tool
chests. 503-659-0009
COLLECtOR PAys cash for older toys,
older oil paintings and older American art
pottery. 503 703-5952
HAM RADiO and short wave radio equip-
ment, particularly older 1950s/60s equip-
that uses tubes, 503-823-4577
U.s., GERMAN, Japanese military items,
uniforms, aviation, hats, helmets, swords,
daggers, bayonets, rifles, pistols. 503-852-
6791
MOtORCyCLEs, quads, boats, tractors,
Broadway Floral
for the BEST flowers call
503-288-5537
RVs, trailers, bicycles, autos, lawnmow-
ers, cash paid, will pick up 503-880-8183
BUyiNG Us & world coins to add to col-
lection, paying fairly, any amount wel-
come. 503-939-8835
COLLECtOR, cash paid, old fishing
tackle, wood plugs, reels, creels, salmon
fishing photos, etc. 503-775-4166
iNDiAN ARtiFACts from Columbia River
and Great Basin, arrowheads, stonework,
beads and trade goods. 360-225-3907
MORGAN AND PEACE silver dollors,
also silver eagles, will pay cash, call
Kenny. 503-449-0584
CHiLD’s WAGON, wood or metal. 503-286-4394
F OR THE H OME
3 MiNi BLiNDs, 69.5” wide, 28” deep, all with
mounting brackets, $20 each or $50 for all. OBO.
503-753-1714
S PORTING G OODS
’08 KOMFORt 241 Fs, 5th-wheel, 26', slideout,
19" flatscreen tV, stereo/dvd,16 in. tires, roof-air,
electric awning, like new, $19,500. 503-772-3553
2007 PROWLER, 30', M-290FK, lg slide, 2 doors,
rear bedroom, like new, non smoker, 1 owner, title
in hand. $14, 000 obo. 971-219-3254
M ISCELLANEOUS
ELECtRiC HOsPitAL BED with side rails, tra-
peze, mattress, $475. 702-524-8207
sHEEPHERDER stOVE, wood burning for tent,
$175. 503-830-8313 (evenings,tony)
CHiPPER/sHREDDER, Craftsman 14:1 ratio,
good condition, strong 8.5hp horizontal motor,
owners manual, $200obo, 541-752-6299
CHARGRiLLER, grills and smokes, includes ro-
tisserie, $50. 503-252-5571
sHOPsMitH MARK2 woodworking machine
with all accessories, old, works, has rust on ways,
$100 firm. rjones3824@aol.com
1638 NE Broadway, Portland
PAGE 14
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
APRIL 19, 2013