Heidi Alexander: “today I am reintroducing the NLRB Reform Act with Senator McConnell. Our legislation will change the National Labor…”

“today I am reintroducing the NLRB Reform Act with Senator McConnell. Our legislation will change the National Labor Relations Board from an advocate to an umpire. The board was created 80 years ago to act as an impartial umpire in labor disputes that threaten the free flow of commerce. The board's decisions affect about 85 million private-sector workers and 5.7 million private-sector employers. But over time, the board has become an advocate for one interest group over the other--changing positions with each new administration. There are three significant problems the board faces today: First, the biggest problem is partisan advocacy. Today, the majority of the 5-member board is made up of appointees who follow the president's political leanings. President Obama has appointed 3 labor union lawyers to the board. Second, the board has a freewheeling advocate for a general counsel. The board's most recent general counsels have been exceeding their statutory authority and bringing questionable cases that threaten American jobs. Third, it is too slow to resolve disputes. Right now, 145 cases, that is 32 percent of the board's caseload, have been pending for more than a year. Our bill provides three fixes. First, it ends partisan advocacy. A 6-member board of 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats and a majority of 4 will require both sides to find a middle ground. Second, it reins in the general counsel.…”