This Thursday in a 56-43 vote, the Senate blocked a resolution designed to stop the Obama administration from implementing a reform instituted by the NMB about how employees can gain union representation. The NMB change allows a union be certified if a majority of the employees who vote support it. The rule previously required majority support of all airline or rail workers eligible to vote to be certified as a union.
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today praised the Senate for upholding the National Mediation Board’s reform of union elections at airlines and railroads.
“The NMB reform finally lets airline and railroad workers’ votes be counted according to today’s election standards in the United States,” Hoffa said. “Whichever side gets the most votes wins. I’m pleased that the majority party in the Senate defeated an attempt by anti-union groups to undermine a fairer system for workers who want to join a union.”
Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., introduced a joint resolution of disapproval today in an attempt to overturn the NMB rule. "There is no sound legal or policy basis for hastily changing a rule that has been in place and upheld repeatedly for over 75 years," he was quoted as saying.
Senator Tom Harkin (D), of Iowa disagreed, saying the 75-year history of the old rule was “irrelevant in evaluating its fairness.”
“The deck is stacked against workers who want to form a union,” Hoffa said. “Those who voted in the Senate to proceed to the joint resolution were deliberately trying to undermine workers’ right to form a union.”
