Obama appointment to labor board sparks opposition

[Earth Bound Misfit]

Source: CNN Politics http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/27/obama.appointment.controversy/

One of President Obama's Saturday recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board quickly triggered intense opposition from business groups and Republicans, who called the appointee a radical who represents a White House gift to labor unions.

The fury is aimed at Obama's appointment of Craig Becker -- a labor lawyer -- to the NLRB, the federal agency that oversees relations between unions and employers.

"Mr. Becker's prolific writings ... suggest a radical view of labor law that flies in the face of established precedent and case law and is far outside the mainstream," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a statement Saturday.

snip

The Republican National Committee sent out a memo Saturday titled "Union Bosses' Bailout Begins -- Recess Appointment Of Becker Payback From Obama To His Union Paymasters, With More Job-Killing Bailouts To Come."

Becker is currently a general counsel for the Service Employees International Union and for the AFL-CIO. He has taught at the law schools of the University of Chicago and Georgetown University, among other places.

Business groups and Republicans say that Becker has voiced support for skirting Congress to enact so-called card-check legislation regarding labor unions. They say that he has proposed that the bill be enforced through federal regulators such as the NLRB.

snip

McConnell also objected to Obama's appointment of Mark Pearce, a labor lawyer, to the NLRB, because he said that both he and Becker are Democrats.

"This is a purely partisan move that will make a traditionally bipartisan labor board an unbalanced agenda-driven panel," he said in a statement.

snip

Labor groups, meanwhile, applauded Becker's appointment.

"When jobs are scarce, workers are often forced to endure unfair working conditions," said Kimberly Freeman Brown, executive director for American Rights at Work. "America's workers need a fully functioning NLRB to mediate their claims for better wages, benefits and other rights now more than ever -- and after two long years they have one."
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I've got to go along with the Chamber on this one. Mr. Becker's prolific writings do indeed suggest a "radical" view of labor law--that of one who actually, you know, SUPPORTS labor. (Oh the HORROR!!)

Lip-less Mitch says with a straight face that the NLRB is a "traditionally bipartisan" board.
BWAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAA...

FUCK OFF, Mr Chao...Elections have consequences, even non-stolen ones.

[bluestateguy]

1. Can EFCA be enforced through the NLRB and not Congress?

Of course, even then it would only be temporary, subject to a future Republican president appointing people to the NLRB who would just overturn it.

[Birthmark]

2. Let's face it

*Anything* President Obama does will spark opposition among Republicans. It's what they do. They're out of ideas. They have no credibility. What's left for them but whining?

[DCKit]

3. "What's left for them but whining?" Screaming, throwing tantrums and flinging poo.

It's what they do.