U.S. Chamber Urges HELP Committee to Hold Hearing on Re-Nominated Labor Board Nominee Craig Becker

'Any Senator who supports the private ballot should oppose this nomination'

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today urged the Senate Health, Education and Labor (HELP) Committee to hold a formal hearing on the re-nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). After the Senate returned his nomination to the president in December, Becker's name was resubmitted by the White House earlier this week.

Becker's nomination passed the HELP Committee in October only after an unprecedented stand-alone roll call vote, and was then blocked by a hold by Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Sen. McCain objected to the radical policies espoused by Mr. Becker, which would severely restrict employers' rights in the workplace and even hinder reporting of illegal conduct during union certification campaigns.

Becker's views have been expressed in his public writings, such as an article in the Minnesota Law Review, in which Becker stated that "employers should be stripped of any legally cognizable interest in their employees' election of representatives."

Others have raised concerns that Becker's ties to the Service Employees International Union, an avid proponent of the "Employee Free Choice Act," could lead him to advance "Card Check" organizing through administrative action by the NLRB.

"Craig Becker's nomination represents 'plan B' for organized labor to override the will of Congress and implement elements of card check legislation," said U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Steven J. Law. "Any Senator who supports the private ballot should oppose this nomination."

The Chamber has not objected to the other two NLRB nominees, Mark G. Pierce of Creighton, Pearce, Johnsen & Giroux, and Senate HELP Committee labor policy director Brian E. Hayes.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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