The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently proposed changes to the rules and regulations that govern the secret-ballot elections used to determine if employees want to be represented by a union. In general, the changes would speed up the process by allowing for electronic filing of documents, setting shorter deadlines, and limiting the use of some current pre-election proceedings. Proponents of the changes believe they will remove unnecessary barriers in the pre-election process, but NLRB member Brian Hayes, who dissented from the board’s decision, believes the change “tilts heavily against employers’ right to engage in legitimate free speech and to petition the government for redress.”
The public can submit written comments on the proposal until August 22, 2011.
