|
 |
 |
|
GOP senators call for removal of two administration nominees over labor lawsuit
A group of Republican senators is pressuring the White House to remove two picks for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after the board filed suit against Boeing over its decision to move production work to a different state.
In a letter sent to the president Wednesday, 19 lawmakers accused the NLRB of conducting "an attack on millions of workers in 22 right-to-work states," calling the lawsuit a "government-led act of intimidation."
They threaten to use "all procedural tools available" to block a pair of NLRB nominees if the White House does not agree to withdraw the picks.
Solomon was nominated for the counsel position in January, but has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. Becker was appointed by the White House while the Senate was in recess.
The NLRB filed suit against Boeing over its decision to open a second production line in a nonunion facility in South Carolina as opposed to a union plant in Washington state. The decision on where the Seattle-based firm builds 787 airplanes was retribution for union strikes in Washington state, the NLRB said in the suit.
That move, coupled with indications the board will advance lawsuits against Arizona and South Dakota over state constitutional amendments limiting union formation, has already prompted reaction from congressional Republicans.
Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are already working on legislation that would strengthen right-to-work laws, which say that employees cannot be forced to join unions. It would ensure the NLRB or union contracts cannot supersede state law in right-to-work states, and would bar the board from advancing its case against Boeing or pursuing similar legal action in the future.
The Boeing standoff also prompted likely GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty to accuse the president of being too cozy with unions.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
