Congress takes aim at new union election rules

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CBS News

By KATE GIBSON

Congress on Thursday approved legislation to block new union election rules backed by labor groups and opposed by business organizations.

The Republican-dominated House on Thursday voted 233 to 181 in approving a measure to ban rules issued in December by the National Labor Relations Board and slated to take effect April 14.

One Democrat, California's Rep. Jerry McNerney, joined House Republicans in passing the resolution, which comes two weeks after the Senate also voted largely along party lines to kill the rules, which would allow what the GOP has dubbed "ambush elections."

The news rules would let a representation election happen in less than two weeks after an official petition is filed. Currently, elections can happen no earlier than 25 days after filing, and typically take place far later.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bid-by-congress-to-defeat-union-election-rules/

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. Translation: America hating American Taliban TeaParTY attacks working Americans again

[freshwest]

7. While they push RTW legislation state by state and even federally:

Sen. Paul Introduces National Right to Work Act

Feb 1, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul this week introduced the National Right to Work Act, S. 204, which seeks to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

"Every American worker deserves the right to freedom of association - and I am concerned that the 26 states that allow forced union membership and dues infringes on these workers' rights," Sen. Paul said. "Right to work laws ensure that all Americans are given the choice to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans support the principles and so I have introduced a national Right to Work Act that will require all states to give their workers the freedom to choose."

Sen. Paul's Right to Work Act does not add a single word to existing federal law, it simply deletes forced unionism provisions in federal law.

Due to six infringing and freedom-crushing provisions in the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act (RLA), there are currently 8 million working Americans who are required by law to pay union dues. These workers are not required to join a workers union but they are required to pay the dues; and if workers refuse to pay these union fees, they risk losing their jobs to Big Labor.

Below is text of Sen. Paul's legislation:

S.204

A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''National Right-to-Work Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT.

(a) RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES.-Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 157) is amended by striking ''except to'' and all that follows through ''authorized in section 8(a)(3)''.

(b) UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES.-Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 158) is amended-

(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking '': Provided, That'' and all that follows through ''retaining membership'';

(2) in subsection (b)-

(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ''or to discriminate'' and all that follows through ''retaining membership''; and

(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ''covered by an agreement authorized under subsection (a)(3) of this section''; and

(3) in subsection (f), by striking clause (2) and redesignating clauses (3) and (4) as clauses (2) and (3), respectively.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT.

Section 2 of the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 152) is amended by striking paragraph Eleven.

http://www.paul.senate.gov/?id=692&p=press_release

(Press releases are in the Public Domain.)

He is also cited here:

http://nrtwc.org/tag/rand-paul/

From our side, the Bold Progressive website:

Koch-Funded Rand Paul Introduces National Anti-Union 'Right To Work' Bill To The Senate

By Zaid Jilani - February 4, 2013

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) just introduced a federal so-called "right to work" law that would undermine labor organizing nationwide. Here's an excerpt from his press release touting the legislation:

"Every American worker deserves the right to freedom of association - and I am concerned that the 26 states that allow forced union membership and dues infringes on these workers' rights. Right to work laws ensure that all Americans are given the choice to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans support the principles and so I have introduced a national Right to Work Act that will require all states to give their workers the freedom to choose."
The fact is, no one is forced to join a union. What so-called "right to work" laws allow is for workers to receive union benefits without paying union dues, which undermines the ability for unions to represent workers.

Researchers from the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute have found that the economies of states who have these laws "are associated with significantly lower wages and reduced chances of receiving employer-sponsored health insurance and pensions." They estimated that hourly wages for all workers -- not just union workers -- in these states are 3% lower.

There has never been a serious push for a national "right to work" law, making Paul's effort fairly unique. The National Right To Work Committee gave $7,500 to Paul's campaign, and Koch Industries -- which bankrolls state-wide efforts to install these laws -- is his third largest contributor.

http://boldprogressives.org/2013/02/rand-paul-introduces-national-anti-union-right-to-work-bill-to-the-senate/

And in 2015:

Right-To-Work: A Farce in One Long Act

A long read, worth it:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/01/1361572/-Right-To-Work-A-Farce-in-One-Long-Act

[blackspade]

16. My loathing for Paul is bottomless

[SoapBox]

2. Can President Obama veto this?

And the Dem...from California? Not! A DINO?

[happyslug]

6. Appears NOT to be a Dino..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_McNerney

This apparently was done under House Rule XIX (3)

Reconsideration

3. When a motion has been carried or lost, it shall be in order on the same or succeeding day for a Member on the prevailing side of the question to enter a motion for the reconsideration thereof.

In simple language, he was picked by the Democratic Leadership to vote with the GOP so if the Democrats managed to pick up some additional votes, he, as a member of the "Prevailing side" can ask for "Reconsideration" i.e. a new vote:

House rules:

http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/house-rules.pdf

Both parties use this rule all the time, the party member who ends up voting with the majority is generally the most loyal party member on the issue.

The Senate has the same rule and is used the same way.

As to Obama being able to Veto this law, Obama can NOT veto a bill passed by the House, but such a bill has NO LEGAL EFFECT till it is passed by the Senate and then sent to the President (who can then veto it).

[red dog 1]

12. The Senate already passed it

From CBSNews.com

"The Senate, which would need 67 votes to override a presidential veto, voted 53-46 to pass the resolution."

[red dog 1]

3. K&R...Thanks for posting

Last edited Thu Mar 19, 2015, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

I guess Obama gets to use his Veto pen again.

What a waste of taxpayer money these Repuke's & their meaningless bills are!

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Rosie is MAD! (http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/files/2011/01/WeCanDoItPoster1.jpg)

Comments are my own.

[awoke_in_2003]

10. Too bad republicans...

think Rosie should be barefoot, pregnant, and at home. How far backwards we have gone- both of my grandmothers worked in factories supporting WWII. Good, strong women, one of which produced my good, strong mother- I miss these three women every day. I am the man I am today because of them, and am married to a good, strong woman. Being married to a strong woman can be hard, but it is well worth it.

[turbinetree]

5. Right to WORK for LESS

This is a prime example of how right to work for less supporters think of the American worker .
They (republicans, libertarians and dino's) DO NOT SUPPORT a MAJORITY of workers wanting to be represented in the work place if they get 50+1, just like in congressional elections.
The president can and most likely will veto this legislation.
The present system gives the anti-worker lawyers and corporations with the backing of the millionaires and billionaires and the people that work for the millionaires and billionaires and then the suckers that keep falling for this same old line that the republicans are there to help you, while they do the opposite with more time to screw the middle class and the poor who want representation in the work place but not in this right wing corrupt political Congress, which we are not getting by any of the stretch of the imagination.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

8. Repeat after me, no difference in the parties

say it as often as you can, it is the only way you can believe it

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Sad how often that meme gets repeated

[Fred Sanders]

11. Veto Pen, do your work.

[secondvariety]

14. I'm optimistic

he will.

[Fred Sanders]

15. Of course he will, why do you doubt? Read the full story.

[rladdi]

13. This is just further abuse of the workers by the Republicans. They are afraid they

may lose an election if the worker organize. I am sure they would.

[Starry Messenger]

17. &%$@ everyone who didn't vote.

And fuck you too Jerry McNerney, dog in the manger.

[Chan790]

18. McNerney's vote was procedural.

He was told to vote that way by Democratic House leadership so that if they picked up more votes later, as a member of the prevailing side of the bill, he could seek reconsideration...basically, any member of the winning side can within 48 hours demand a revote, so you choose one member of the party to vote for something you oppose or vice-versa so that if you muster the votes later, that person can demand a re-vote.


(I only know this because two other people explained it in the thread.)

[Dawson Leery]

19. Obama will veto this assault on labor rights from the

party that financed the Nazis.