Senate, House Leaders Introduce Legislative Response to NLRB Ambush Election Rule

Statement

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN), House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN), today introduced legislation that will protect the rights of workers and employers by rolling back the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) controversial ambush election rule.

"The National Labor Relations Board ought to be an umpire," said Senator Alexander, "but under this administration has lunged so far to the side of union advocacy that they're willing to sacrifice every worker's right to privacy and every employer's right to free speech. Congress must act, first to stop this rule, second to reform this board."

"The Obama NLRB is on a mission to rush union elections that will stifle employers' free speech and cripple workers' free choice," said Chairman Kline. "At a recent meeting with board Chairman Mark Pearce, we laid out our concerns with the proposal and its consequences for workers and job creators. However, it's exceedingly obvious the board is determined to advance this radical scheme no matter the damage inflicted on our nation's workplaces. Congress cannot just stand by and do nothing. The commonsense legislative approach we are proposing today will strengthen the rights workers and employers have enjoyed for decades."

"Republicans have said time and again if there are ways to improve the current union election process, we are more than happy to do that," said Rep. Roe. "Unfortunately, the board's regulatory proposal upends decades of labor policies to fix a problem that doesn't exist. Even more disturbing, it will make workers and their families vulnerable to harassment and intimidation at home or on the jobsite. Our legislation will empower workers to protect their personal privacy and help modernize the election process. This is a win-win for workers that deserves the support of our colleagues."

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