Cord Byrd: “yesterday afternoon I voted against Senator Hutchinson's amendment to transfer $25 million from the budget of the…”

“yesterday afternoon I voted against Senator Hutchinson's amendment to transfer $25 million from the budget of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to increase funding for community health centers. I am not opposed to expanding the services provided by community health centers--to the contrary, I believe they are an important element in health care delivery in West Virginia. However, Mr. President, the National Labor Relations Board is also important to West Virginia. During the first half of this century, labor conditions in West Virginia coal mines, and the resulting growth in unions, led to a virtual state of war, in some instances. Having an orderly process in place to resolve these kinds of issues, such as that managed by the NLRB, helps to keep management-labor-union relations on a civilized path. The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency created by Congress to administer the National Labor Relations Act, which is the primary law governing the relationship between unions and employers in the private sector. The NLRB has two principal functions: first, to determine, through secret ballot elections, if employees want to be represented by a union in dealing with their employers; and second, to prevent and remedy unfair labor practices by either employers or unions.”