Amending the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Part 1

crossposted from unbossed

First: Do you have a pulse? You are reading this, so I will assume the answer is "Yes". If so, then you have probably heard about the Employee Free Choice Act even though you may not know what all its provisions are, particularly any of its provisions beyond representation based on signing cards in addition to representation based on a secret ballot election. It has been in the news, discussed in diaries on Daily Kos and the subject of ads here for years.

But did you know that this year we have a bumper crop of other bills to amend the NLRA, including proposals by Republicans eager to amend this country's fundamental law on employee rights to support one another, union organization, and collective bargaining?

As you might expect, the bills introduced by the Republicans are not friendly amendments, nor are they friendly to worker rights, unions, or collective bargaining.

I'll be analyzing the provisions of the 15 bills in diaries starting this week. The first one up for discussion will be the "RAISE" bill. Look for it tomorrow and consider what that acronym might stand for in the meantime. It's numbers 9 and 14 below.

Meanwhile, for today, here is the list of bills introduced to amend the NLRA Thomas in chronological order starting in January 2009.

1. H.R.243 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to require the arbitration of initial contract negotiation disputes, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (None) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1176 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure the right of employees to a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

Sponsor: Rep Kline, John [MN-2] (introduced 2/25/2009)      Cosponsors (112) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 4/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1204 : To ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by making the antitrust laws apply to negotiations between groups of independent pharmacies and health plans and health insurance issuers (including health plans under parts C and D of the Medicare Program) in the same manner as such laws apply to protected activities under the National Labor Relations Act.

Sponsor: Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] (introduced 2/25/2009)      Cosponsors (84) Committees: House Judiciary Latest Major Action: 2/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

1. H.R.1355 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to require employers to provide labor organizations with equal access to employees prior to an election regarding representation, to prevent delays in initial collective bargaining, and to strengthen enforcement against intimidation of employees by employers.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 3/5/2009)      Cosponsors (None) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1395 : To clarify the rights of Indians and Indian tribes on Indian lands under the National Labor Relations Act.

Sponsor: Rep Kline, John [MN-2] (introduced 3/9/2009)      Cosponsors (7) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1409 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Miller, George [CA-7] (introduced 3/10/2009)      Cosponsors (226) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1461 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to apply the protections of the Act to teaching and research assistants.

Sponsor: Rep Miller, George [CA-7] (introduced 3/12/2009)      Cosponsors (8) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

1. H.R.1493 : To ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by exempting health care professionals from the Federal antitrust laws in their negotiations with health plans and health insurance issuers.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 3/12/2009)      Cosponsors (2) Committees: House Judiciary Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.

1. H.R.2732 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to permit employers to pay higher wages to their employees.

Sponsor: Rep McClintock, Tom [CA-4] (introduced 6/4/2009)      Cosponsors (16) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 6/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

1. H.R.2808 : To amend the National Labor Relations Act to protect employer rights.

Sponsor: Rep King, Steve [IA-5] (introduced 6/10/2009)      Cosponsors (19) Committees: House Education and Labor Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

1. S.478 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure the right of employees to a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

Sponsor: Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] (introduced 2/25/2009)      Cosponsors (20) Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 24.

1. S.560 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during the organizing efforts, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 3/10/2009)      Cosponsors (39) Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Latest Major Action: 3/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

1. S.813 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to apply the protections of the Act to teaching and research assistants.

Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 4/2/2009)      Cosponsors (2) Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

1. S.1184 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to permit employers to pay higher wages to their employees.

Sponsor: Sen Vitter, David [LA] (introduced 6/4/2009)      Cosponsors (9) Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Latest Major Action: 6/4/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

1. S.1227 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to protect employer rights.

Sponsor: Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] (introduced 6/10/2009)      Cosponsors (3) Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

If you have specific questions or issues you'd like to have addressed related to these bills, let me know, and I'll do my best.