National Labor Relations Board

Nick Papas

NLRB Assignment

BUS 465

3/27/2016

The balance of power between employees and their employer have changed under the Obama Administration due to sanctions by the National Labor Relations Board. The Obama Administration is setting a new rule that requires employers who hire outside lawyers and consultants to help fight unionization to disclose information about those relationships more frequently. What’s taking place is that the Democratic Party is supporting Unions because of the democratic majority in house. “The NLRB has created aggressive procedures to speed up certification elections and help unions get into power, but ignores blocking charges and election bars that hinder or completely deny employees’ ability to decertify the union” (Chiaramonte, 2015) Unions are establishing a way of forcing employee’s into unions even if they wish to not be in one. What this is doing is not only creating a negative work environment but it is almost picking apart the industry that certain people work in. “Giving this information out is an open invitation for union organizers to bully, harass, and intimidate employees until they agree to support unionization” (Chiaramonte, 2015) In essence, the employee’s that do not wish to be in a Union are then somewhat manipulated into why they should be in one because they are not in a right to work state.

Truthfully, I personally believe that because the Democratic Party has a majority decision in house is why the NLRB is enforcing this way of unionization. “And the unions have been organizing much quicker than they ever have before. It gives employees less time to make an informed decision and gives them no opportunity to opt out” (Chiaramonte, 2015) If employee’s in certain states have right to work where as some states don’t have right to work legislation, I believe that it isn’t fair to someone to pay union dues where they could be doing the same job without having to pay each year. With the changing policies in unions, republicans also have a viewpoint on how employers and employees should be treated. “Republicans believe workers have the right to make their own, informed choices when casting a ballot in the workplace; we don’t think powerful political bosses should rush or force that decision on them, as the ambush rule proposes.” (Boyer, 2015) The republicans want to slow the decision making process down and support employee’s with the decision to be in a union or not. Another aspect is how this ruling is starting to effect franchises such as McDonald’s. “Now, under this new standard, if an employer is judged as having “the potential” to affect wages and working conditions at a franchise outlet or staffing agency, they can be held liable and immediately be forced into negotiations” (Shaw, 2015) If someone from a certain restaurant is hired or fired, the entire franchise is held liable meaning headquarters are involved with the negotiation process. Because headquarters get involved, it spreads their resources out thinner because more money is spent versus them keeping it in the business to improve their day-to-day operations.

        Between the Democratic and Republican viewpoints on unions, American unions five years from now will be what they are today. I believe more states will become right to work as it gives the opportunity for businesses and employees to do the same job without having to pay wages. However, some industries will keep unions as they support employees and push for their rights. For example, the auto industry will have unions due to the constant change in working rights and could potentially be cheaper if it were to transfer to a right to work state. The NLRB wants employers to post employees right so they are able to change policies and adjust working people to join unions. Obama’s NLRB legacy will be diminished due to states changing the rights of working people. It is less expensive for companies to be in a right to work state as they don’t have to fluctuate wages and rights on their contracts will employees. It costs a lot more to operate a business when your employee’s are apart of a union because you are constantly adjusting wages and rights to satisfy the unions needs. “…a devastating impact on American employers and employees” (Hiltzkik, 2016) The decisions being made to date could potentially fail to address the upbringing of our economic structure. If Obama and his administration wish to support unions employees, they also need to consider that the companies these people are working for impact our economy. So by having these businesses face union policies, essentially can impact the profits they make due to the changes they need to make for their employees. “Most unfortunate are the American businesses that have to suffer through these ‘bargaining rules’ while actual day-to-day business suffers.” (McNorris, 2016) Unions will still be around but down the road the United States working force could be seeing a lot less of them. We already have been as well. Right to work legislation will be become a critical factor and both political parties will find ways to not only support employee’s but to help business prosper as well.