Springfield Standard

On September 17, 2024, Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO-07) introduced legislation aimed at blocking the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) final rule titled “Representation—Case Procedures: Election Bars; Proof of Majority Support in Construction Industry Collective-Bargaining Relationships.”

The NLRB's recent rule reverses the Trump administration’s 2020 pro-worker regulation and reinstates procedures that critics argue undermine workers' rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The rule restricts access to secret ballot elections, which opponents claim hinders employees' ability to decide on union formation or membership without facing intimidation. It also delays or obstructs decertification elections, allowing unions to maintain their status as employee representatives regardless of worker preference.

“Today’s legislation represents a crucial step in protecting workers’ rights,” said Congressman Burlison. “The NLRB’s new rule reverses important protections put in place to ensure fair and democratic union representation. By blocking this rule through the Congressional Review Act, we are taking action to preserve workers’ fundamental rights to participate in secret ballot elections and to make informed choices about union representation.”

The bill employs the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify the NLRB’s final rule, effectively reinstating the Election Protection Rule from the Trump era. This measure aims to safeguard workers' rights and ensure transparency and fairness in union representation processes.

Congressman Burlison's legislation highlights his commitment to maintaining a balanced labor relations environment where workers' voices are central in decisions regarding union representation.

Cosponsors of the bill include Education and Workforce Chairwoman Dr. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05), Representatives Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Brian Babin (R-TX-36), and Dan Bishop (R-NC-08).

Supporting groups for this initiative include the National Right to Work Committee, Club for Growth, Institute for the American Worker, and Americans for Prosperity.

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Committee stated: “Under Chairman Lauren McFerran, the Biden-Harris NLRB has done everything it can to force as many workers to pay union dues as possible, and to make it as hard as possible for workers to get rid of a union they no longer want. That’s why the McFerran Board eliminated sensible worker protections, changing the rules so that union lawyers are once again free to use spurious legal charges to block worker-led efforts to remove a union. It’s also been undermining secret ballot elections, creating new paths for unions to take control of workers who never had a chance to vote on the matter. Congress should pass Representative Burlison’s CRA immediately and roll back these NLRB attacks on employee rights."