The below letter was sent today by the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) to all U.S. Senators Representing right-to-work states asking them to oppose recent actions by the National Labor Relations Board. Click here to access a copy.
June 8, 2011
Dear Senators From Right-To-Work States:
Recent actions by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have sent fear through both workers and business owners. Departing from its mission to apply the nation’s labor laws fairly and evenly, the NLRB has targeted the nation’s largest exporter which chose to open a new production facility in a right-to-work state and, by extension, it has targeted right-to-work laws and the states that have adopted them. Please stand with the workers and business owners in your state by supporting S. 964, the Job Protection Act, if you have not already done so, and by opposing the nominations of Craig Becker and Lafe Solomon to the NLRB.
Recently the NLRB’s Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon, filed a complaint against the Boeing Company for opening a new production facility in South Carolina, a right-to-work state, instead of the more heavily unionized Washington State. This move was characterized by Mr. Solomon as retaliation and a method to intimidate union workers in Washington, even though Boeing has actually expanded work at its unionized facilities in that state. Essentially, Boeing is being unfairly targeted because it made a business decision to expand employment in a right-to-work state as opposed to a unionized one.
With this move, the NLRB has shown that it is pursuing a blatantly biased and misguided agenda in favor of organized labor that will cost our nation jobs. States like yours, which have chosen to enact right-to-work laws, are just as threatened by this complaint as South Carolina. The Boeing decision promises to deliver over 1,000 jobs to that state. These good-paying, much-needed, high-quality jobs will be lost if the NLRB gets its way. Imagine if the NLRB were threatening to destroy that many jobs in your state. Business expansion by other companies in right-to-work states could easily be affected by the NLRB’s actions, this is something that will undoubtedly have a chilling effect on decisions made by job creators across the country.
States should have the freedom to choose right-to-work laws without fear of Federal government reprisal and interference. Senators Alexander, Graham and DeMint have introduced S. 964, which would ensure the NLRB treats right-to-work states in the same way it treats others. This bill would protect workers and businesses and is clearly needed, given the NLRB’s recent action.
The outrageous decision by Lafe Solomon also indicates why he is unfit to be confirmed as the NLRB’s General Counsel and why the Senate should reject his pending nomination. The Senate should also reject the nomination of Craig Becker to continue to serve on the board. His views on labor-management relations are widely considered outside the mainstream and for this reason his confirmation was defeated by both Republicans and Democrats in the previous Congress. Mr. Becker has taken a position similar to the one Mr. Solomon has taken in his Boeing complaint. According to Mr. Becker, the free movement of capital – such as Boeing’s decision here – is inconsistent with the principles of collective bargaining. Such radical views have no place in an agency that directly impacts our economy and American businesses working to create jobs.
Without corrective action by Congress, our economy will certainly suffer as uncertainty will increase and businesses will adjust their plans to increase employment. In the end, fewer jobs will be created and more businesses will close. That’s bad for the nation as a whole particularly during this very difficult economic time. Please support these important steps to rein in the NLRB, and stand with workers and businesses in your home state.
Sincerely,
Fred Wszolek
Workforce Fairness Institute