Labor

A top union leader wants Senate Democrats to prevent Republicans from blocking President Obama's judicial and executive branch nominees by using a controversial tactic that has been dubbed the "nuclear option."

Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America, said on Monday that leaders in the chamber should act before August to force a change to Senate rules that would allow nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other posts to be confirmed by a simple majority.

"It's up to the Democratic majority in the Senate and the Senate leadership to move forward, particularly on what should be a narrow issue of getting the president's nominees confirmed," he said.

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Two bills from Republican lawmakers would restrict labor organizing activities that their backers say allow unions to unfairly target workers.

Legislation introduced in the House and Senate on Thursday would cut back on the ability of unions to form among smaller groups of workers and require that workers use a secret ballot when voting to organize.

The Labor Department announced Thursday it was willing to pay $2.5 million to improve fire and building safety standards in Bangladesh garment factories.

The government is preparing to dole out the funds via competitive grants in a U.S. effort to bolster the working conditions of garment workers there, following April's deadly factory collapse outside the capital city of Dhaka, which killed more than 1,200 people.

The Labor Department acknowledged that garment production is a central piece of Bangladesh's economy, but added that there have been "longstanding concerns" about lax enforcement of worker rights and safety standards, which have only heightened following that accident.

Republican lawmakers want the Labor Department to withdraw a proposed rule that they fear could threaten privacy and hurt businesses.

Reps. John Kline (R-Minn.) and Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) wrote to Seth Harris, the acting labor secretary, on Thursday to oppose an expected new rule that would require more disclosure from employers who hire legal consultants for advice on their workers' union activities.

Since the 1959 Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, employers have had to file reports with the Labor Department whenever they hire a consultant to persuade employees on their right to organize and bargain collectively. For years, an exemption has been built into those "persuader rules" allowing an employer not to notify the department if they merely get advice from a consultant who has no direct contact with the employees.

All 45 GOP senators signed a brief calling Obama's appointments an unconstitutional abuse of power.

Federal regulators will be asking the mining industry for feedback on safety regulations that studies have shown could be putting be workers at risk.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Wednesday it would propose to delay a set of certification requirements for crane and derrick operators.

OSHA laid out the new standards in August of 2010, and gave the industry four years to comply. Under the regulations, operators were to meet, by November of next year, one of four options to demonstrate they are qualified to handle the equipment.

Outside groups raised concerns about the regulations, prompting officials to consider changes.

In the meantime, OSHA said it would “will propose to extend the compliance date so that the qualification/certification requirements do not take effect during potential rulemaking or cause disruption to the construction industry,” according to a statement issued by the agency.

Under the proposal, the certification requirements would be put off for three years, taking effect in November of 2017.

House Republicans attacked the nation's top anti-discrimination enforcement officer for hurting employers with misguided priorities.

The chairwoman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) testified that she was just doing her job to combat unfair practices, despite a shrinking budget.

The commission is responsible for enforcing the federal government's workplace anti-discrimination laws.

A federal appeals court ruled that Obama's appointment of Craig Becker in 2010 was unconstitutional.

Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) defended their continued activity in the wake of a federal court ruling that declared two members' appointments unconstitutional.

"We owe it to the public to continue to work," board Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce said on Thursday. "Every day the board provides a forum for workers, employees, employers and unions to come forward and to air their issues. This forum ensures that economic security is provided and protected from industrial unrest."

The nominees' opponents said that two members should step down after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in January that President Obama unconstitutionally appointed members to the board.