American Rights at Work - Flag a Hollow Symbol at the NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board just issued a press release announcing a new policy that the American flag will be displayed at every union representation election, stating:

The display of an American flag will impress upon all the participants to elections — employers, unions, and most importantly voters — the solemnity and importance of the Agency’s election process.

In reality, NLRB elections bear no resemblance to political elections, and fall alarmingly short of the democratic process Americans envision when we use the term "election." The following chart makes it clear that NLRB elections are undemocratic.

If the NLRB was actually concerned with the integrity of its elections, it would level the playing field for workers and employers.

Instead, the agency hides behind this symbol of democracy while allowing the process to be plagued by long delays, which often subject workers to vicious anti-union campaigns by their employers.

Simply stated, the presence of the secret ballots — or the American flag — can't overcome the wholly undemocratic nature of NLRB elections.