Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee John Kline (R-Minn.) has asked the National Labor Relations Board for documents and communication relating to a new policy on regional office pre-election hearings, according to an AHA News Now report.
Specifically, the chairman questions a policy in NLRB's recently issued guidance that instructs officers to hold pre-election hearings seven days after issuing a representation hearing notice. That one-week window from notice to hearing does not align with the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last year, which requires at least 14 days between a notice of representation hearing and a pre-election hearing. Two weeks provides employers an opportunity to hire an attorney, identify issues and prepare a care for the pre-election hearing, as well as give parties time to compromise and agree on election issues, according to Rep. Kline.
The American Hospital Association has been actively opposed to the NLRB decision to expedite union elections since the labor board released a final ruling in December 2011, fearing that hospital workers voting on union issues will lack the time and resources to make informed decisions.
The NLRB has until May 23 to respond to Rep. Kline's letter.
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Specifically, the chairman questions a policy in NLRB's recently issued guidance that instructs officers to hold pre-election hearings seven days after issuing a representation hearing notice. That one-week window from notice to hearing does not align with the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last year, which requires at least 14 days between a notice of representation hearing and a pre-election hearing. Two weeks provides employers an opportunity to hire an attorney, identify issues and prepare a care for the pre-election hearing, as well as give parties time to compromise and agree on election issues, according to Rep. Kline.
The American Hospital Association has been actively opposed to the NLRB decision to expedite union elections since the labor board released a final ruling in December 2011, fearing that hospital workers voting on union issues will lack the time and resources to make informed decisions.
The NLRB has until May 23 to respond to Rep. Kline's letter.
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