Public Hearings on NLRB Election Rule Amendments Set For July 18 and 19

The National Labor Relations Board proposes dramatic changes to its rules and regulations for conducting union representation elections. The amendments would change the current procedures the NLRB follows both before and after it conducts an election deciding the issue of whether employees want union representation in their workplace.
 
The NLRB is holding an open meeting on the election rule changes at its Washington, D.C., headquarters.  The meeting is scheduled for July 18 and 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., EST. The meeting will be webcast in its entirety, with a link provided on the agency’s website.

The proposed changes include rules that would:

• Substantially shorten the time between when an election petition is filed and the election itself occurs
• Push the resolution of many election disputes to after the election takes place 
• Give employers as few as five business days to prepare a comprehensive position statement to present to the NLRB. 

These proposed amendments have been previously discussed here.

A schedule of speakers has just been released and can be viewed here. Public comments on the proposed amendments may also be submitted in writing by August 22, 2011, either electronically through www.regulations.gov or by mail or hand delivery to:

Lester A. Heltzer, Executive Secretary, NLRB
1099 14th Street NW
Washington, D.C., 20570.

Responses to the initial comments may be filed during an additional 14 day period thereafter.

 Gail Cecchettini Whaley, CalChamber Employment Law Editor/Staff Counsel