John Ensign: “I rise today to discuss the resolution before us--a resolution of disapproval to prevent the implementation of the…”

“I rise today to discuss the resolution before us--a resolution of disapproval to prevent the implementation of the recent National Mediation Board regulations. Many Americans are likely unaware of the vote we are about to have today, let alone the controversial rule it concerns. Last May, the National Mediation Board finalized a new regulation that would turn 75 years of union voting precedent on its head. I believe a vote to support this resolution of disapproval is a vote to protect our Nation's workers. Specifically, the National Mediation Board has changed the voting rules under the Railway Labor Act. The Railway Labor Act is the law that sets labor union rules for railways and airline employees. For the past 75 years, under this act, a majority of employees in an 'organizing unit' have had to vote yes to form a union. Under this new change, only a majority of employees who actually vote are needed to form a union. How does this new rule work in practice? For example, if an airline has 1,000 employees who are nonunion today, currently 501 must vote yes to unionize. But under this new union rule, if only 300 of those employees vote, then it would require only 151 of those employees to unionize and speak for the entire 1,000 employees. Since there is no procedure to deunionize under the Railway Labor Act, once this union is formed, these 1,000 employees would be permanently unionized.”