Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) adopted a final rule that includes some but not all of the proposals set forth in its recent proposal to ensure a fairer union election process for workers. The final rule standardizes the union election process so that workers can vote on whether to form a union if they want to. In response, American Rights at Work Executive Director Kimberly Freeman Brown issued the following statement:

“This rule is a step in the right direction toward giving more men and women a fair vote in the workplace to help rebalance our economy, and rebuild the middle class. Currently, workers who petition for an election encounter delays of months and even years, and some never get to vote at all. Cutting back on the excessive delays and litigation that plague the current system will be good for employers, employees, and taxpayers who foot the bill.

“The opposition we saw to these commonsense changes was pure politics—part of an unprecedented attack by right-wing politicians on basic workplace protections and the one agency workers can turn to when their rights are violated on the job. But in today’s upside down economy, Americans understand that any bit of help for the 99 percent is a good thing. However, much more needs to be done to fully address the obstacles workers face when they try to come together for a voice on the job.”