Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1120, the Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act. This legislation is anti-worker, anti-management, and rather than creating certainty, it would throw the world of labor relations into complete chaos by shutting down the final arbiter--the National Labor Relation Board. And it would do this all in the name of upholding a single decision that overturns decades of court precedent and executive practice upholding intra-session recess appointments as constitutional.

If H.R. 1120 becomes law, it would put us in a situation where employees and employers would be denied recourse in the courts--a fundamental guarantee in our society. Final review of decisions would be all but impossible to obtain, effectively nullifying the consequences for unfair labor practices. The National Labor Relations Act, overseen and enforced by the National Labor Relations Board, protects working Americans' rights to form unions, bargain collectively for fair wages, and ensure they work in a safe environment. The National Labor Relations Board also protects employers, who have recourse before the Board in the same way employees do. Eliminating the Board helps only those who wish to violate labor laws without consequence. That is not a constituency this Congress should be representing.

H.R. 1120 does two things. First, it prevents the NLRB from operating, which is in and of itself a reason to oppose it--America's workers depend on a functioning Board. Second, H.R. 1120 legitimizes the obstructionism of the minority in the Senate, which led President Obama to make these recess appointments in the first place. It is responding to hostage taking by giving the hostage-takers everything they want and more. This creates a no-win situation where neither side has any incentive to compromise for the good of our country.

The Framers of the United States Constitution included the recess appointment clause in Article II of the Constitution to ensure that our government could function even if the Senate is unavailable to confirm the President's appointments. It is time that we honor their wisdom. That means that here in the House of Representatives, we vote down this wrongheaded bill; in the Senate, that means getting to work and voting on whether the Presidents' appointees are qualified or not.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation and uphold over a half-a-century of precedent and practice, and ensure our working men and women are not denied justice by way of delay.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source