Author: serpnames

Despite having the rules rigged in their favor, Big Labor was dealt a serious blow in an attempt to unionize JetBlue pilots. In a recent union-organizing election, 58 percent of pilots voted against forming a collective bargaining unit. Recently, the … Continue reading

Posted in National Mediation Board Tagged FAA Reauthorization Reform Act of 2011, JetBlue Airlines, John Mica, NMB

The next Republican Presidential debate is on August 11 and with it comes a great opportunity for WFI members to ask questions and make their voices heard. Here’s Your Chance to Participate The organizers of the debate are accepting questions … Continue reading

Posted in Campaigns & Elections, NLRB, Politics Tagged Big Labor, NLRB, NMB, Right-to-Work

As we watch the economic situation in the United States worsen, we must focus on providing every incentive possible for job creators to continue making opportunities available for workers on every level. The worst thing our country could do would … Continue reading

Posted in National Mediation Board, NLRB, Politics Tagged Barack Obama, Boeing, NLRB, NMB

After a two-week unpaid furlough, the 4,000 workers sent home by Senate Democrats willing to play politics with their livelihoods will be heading back to work, along with tens of thousands more put out of work by suspended construction projects. … Continue reading

Posted in FAA, National Mediation Board, Politics Tagged FAA Reauthorization Reform Act of 2011, NMB, Senator Harry Reid, Senator Jay Rockefeller

The back-and-forth over the partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues as Congress gears up to leave town for August recess. In the latest development, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has rejected a bipartisan agreement to pass the House … Continue reading

Posted in Big Labor Bailout, FAA, National Mediation Board Tagged FAA, NMB, Senator Harry Reid, Senator Jay Rockefeller

According to the White House, President Obama met today with union bosses from the AFL-CIO to “discuss issues important to working families, including how to continue growing our economy and putting Americans back to work.” Isn’t that ironic? Policies favored … Continue reading

Posted in Big Labor Bailout Tagged AFL-CIO, EFCA, NLRB, NMB, Richard Trumka, Union Bosses

Senator Rockefeller continues hold the Federal Aviation Administration hostage in an effort to ensure that rules in union-organizing elections in the railroad and airline industry favor Big Labor. According the Associated Press, the cost of the FAA shutdown could exceed … Continue reading

Posted in National Mediation Board Tagged FAA, FAA Reauthorization Reform Act of 2011, NMB, Senator Jay Rockefeller

On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily furloughed 4,000 employees because Senator Jay Rockefeller and Big Labor’s Congressional allies want to hand Big Labor another bailout. Fox News: Long-term funding authority for the FAA expired in 2007. Unable to agree … Continue reading

Posted in Big Labor Bailout, National Mediation Board Tagged FAA Reauthorization Reform Act of 2011, NMB, President Barack Obama, Senator Jay Rockefeller

The FAA Reauthorization And Reform Act & What Has Union Bosses In A Panic

Congress needs to reassert itself in the face of the NMB’s brazen sop to the unions, and the law now under consideration in the House — Title IX of the FAA Reauthorization Bill — would do just that, overriding the policy change. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee shot down an amendment that would have removed the provision by a 30–29 margin (three Republicans sided with the unions), and a similar amendment will no doubt be proposed when the bill goes before the entire House this week.

Union bosses, most notably the Communication Workers of America—which is the parent union of the Association of Flight Attendants, as well as represents USAirways passenger service agents—are desperately trying to push the LaTourette/Costello Amendment.

In addition to the amendment’s co-sponsor, Republican Steve LaTourette* (R-OH), who has received over $336,000 in union contributions over the course of his congressional career, Tim Johnson (R-IL), Candice Miller (R-MI), and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) are the three other Republicans that have, so far, sided with the union bosses.

The FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act is scheduled for a vote on Thursday.

Unionization By Regulation

Congress has an opportunity to fix this giveaway to Big Labor. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2011 (H.R. 658) would restore the old voting rule requiring a majority of workers in the bargaining unit to vote for a union in order for the union to be certified as those workers’ exclusive bargaining representative. However, Big Labor and its allies in Congress will fight tooth and nail to preserve their new advantage. Reps. Steve LaTourette (D-OH) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) have introduced an amendment to remove the language implementing the change back to the original rule from the bill.

Restoring the old rule is especially crucial in light of the fact that, under the Railway Labor Act, workers who vote for a union but become dissatisfied have a near-impossible time voting the union out. This needs to be reformed as well.

US Bill Seeks To Reinstate Stricter Rule On Unionization Votes

The provision, backed by House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R., Fla.), targets a rule change by the National Mediation Board last year that made it easier for airline and rail employees to form unions. Under the new rule, a union can be created if a majority of the votes cast are in favor of collective bargaining. Previously, it took a majority of a company’s entire workforce, which meant that employees absent during the vote were tallied as “no” votes.

The House bill would repeal the change. A full House vote could occur as early as Thursday; a Senate-passed version of the bill doesn’t include the provision.

A spokesman for Mica said the proposed legislation is intended to correct what he called a “favor to organized labor” by the NMB.

“Changes in the way elections are conducted under the Railway Labor Act are the authority of the Congress, not two political appointees of the National Mediation Board,” said Mica spokesman Justin Harclerode.