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Board
should
explain
why
it
needs
more
funding
when
caseload
is
decreasing
Washington–
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
and
13
of
his
colleagues
sent
a
letter
to
Chairman
Tom
Harkin
(D-IA)
of
the
Senate
Health,
Education,
Labor
and
Pensions
(HELP)
Committee
requesting
a
committee
hearing
on
the
fiscal
year
2014
budget
request
of
the
National
Labor
Relations
Board
(NLRB).
The
board,
which
currently
has
two
members
whose
appointments
were
deemed
unconstitutional,
asked
Congress
for
more
funding
despite
a
drop
in
their
caseload
of
“almost
9
percent.”
“Only
in
Washington
does
it
make
sense
for
a
government
agency
to
ask
for
more
funding
when
their
workload
is
decreasing,”
Scott
said.
“As
we’ve
seen
in
South
Carolina,
strong
oversight
over
the
NLRB
is
absolutely
necessary.
I
hope
Chairman
Harkin
will
schedule
a
hearing
soon
so
we
can
find
out
why
the
NLRB
believes
they
need
more
taxpayer
dollars
at
their
disposal.”
The
NLRB’s
own
data
confirm
that
over
a
longer
span
of
time—the
last
20
years—the
board’s
annual
representation
caseload
has
dropped
by
59
percent,
the
number
of
representation
cases
the
Board
decided
has
dropped
by
72
percent,
the
number
of
unfair
labor
practice
cases
has
dropped
by
33
percent,
the
number
of
unfair
labor
practice
cases
the
Board
decided
has
dropped
by
63
percent,
the
number
of
elections
held
has
dropped
by
57
percent
(although
the
union
win
rate
has
increased),
yet
during
the
same
period
funding
has
increased
more
than
70
percent.
Additionally,
Scott
is
an
original
cosponsor
of
legislation,
the
Advice
and
Consent
Restoration
Act,
which
would
eliminate
pay
for
unconstitutionally
appointed
members
of
the
NLRB
and
block
action
by
the
board
until
legal
appointees
are
in
place.
Scott
has
been
a
leader
in
Congressional
efforts
to
rein
in
the
NLRB
following
the
Board’s
attempt
to
destroy
jobs
in
South
Carolina
in
2011-12.
The
full
text
of
the
letter
sent
today
is
below:
Dear
Senator
Harkin,
We
write
to
request
that
the
Appropriations
Subcommittee
on
Labor,
Health
and
Human
Services,
Education
and
Related
Agencies
hold
a
hearing
on
the
budget
request
of
the
National
Labor
Relations
Board
(NLRB),
and
invite
Board
Chairman
Mark
Gaston
Pearce
and
Acting
General
Counsel
Lafe
Solomon
to
appear
as
witnesses.
As
members
either
of
this
Subcommittee
or
of
the
Senate
Health,
Education,
Labor
and
Pensions
Committee,
we
have
a
strong
interest
in
ensuring
that
the
NLRB
properly
utilizes
its
resources
in
a
manner
that
adheres
to
congressional
intent
under
Federal
law.
This
agency
has
requested
a
1.7
percent
increase
in
funding
for
fiscal
year
2014
and
plans
to
increase
hiring.
These
increases
do
not
appear
to
correlate
with
the
workload
at
the
NLRB.
In
fact,
the
Board’s
caseload
has
dropped
almost
9
percent
in
recent
years,
with
a
3
percent
drop
in
FY2012
and
a
5.9
percent
drop
in
FY2011.
The
number
of
cases
decided
and
representation
elections
held
have
also
declined
in
recent
years.
Due
to
extenuating
circumstances,
the
NLRB
has
had
chronic
Board
Member
vacancies
which
should
have
enabled
temporary
consolidation
of
Member
staffs
to
reduce
the
need
for
new
hiring
during
limited
budget
periods
such
as
the
current
sequestration.
It
is
perplexing
to
see
this
significant
budget
request
in
light
of
the
budget
challenges
all
federal
agencies
are
currently
facing.
We
would
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
question
NLRB
leadership
about
workload
decline
and
projections,
including
both
the
Board
side
and
General
Counsel
side.
We
would
also
like
to
inquire
about
workforce
management
practices
currently
in
place
and
staffing
levels,
including
hiring
history,
patterns
and
projections,
as
well
as
other
resource
management
issues.
It
has
been
some
time
since
the
Subcommittee
conducted
a
hearing
to
fully
review
the
NLRB’s
budget
request.
Although
the
Board
is
small
in
comparison
to
other
agencies
the
Subcommittee
oversees,
it
is
important
to
ensure
that
taxpayer
dollars
are
being
properly
utilized
in
all
agencies
within
its
jurisdiction.
Thank
you
for
your
consideration
of
this
request.
Sincerely,
Lamar
Alexander
Jerry
Moran
Richard
Shelby
Thad
Cochran
Lindsey
Graham
Mark
Kirk
Mike
Johanns
John
Boozman
Mike
Enzi
Johnny
Isakson
Richard
Burr
Orrin
Hatch
Pat
Roberts
Tim
Scott
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