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Republicans Introduce Legislation to Prevent NLRB From Dictating Location of American Jobs

Committee to Mark Up Legislation THIS Thursday

U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) issued the following statement today after cosponsoring the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act, introduced by Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) earlier this afternoon.  Reps. Phil Roe (R-TN), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Trey Gowdy (R-SC) have signed on as original cosponsors of the legislation.

The Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act will prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from dictating where a private business can and cannot locate jobs in the United States. On April 20, the NLRB filed a complaint against The Boeing Company for creating work in South Carolina and demanded the work be transferred to Puget Sound, Washington. If successful, the NLRB’s action may destroy an estimated 1,000 South Carolina jobs and have a chilling effect on job creators across the country.

“No government board should have the authority to tell a private employer where it can run a business” said Chairman Kline. “Yet, as the Boeing dispute has made disturbingly clear, the National Labor Relations Board is empowered to override the business decisions of American employers. It would be irresponsible for Congress to stand by and watch as this threat to job creation undermines the strength of our economy. That is why I’m proud to support Representative Scott’s commonsense proposal to fix a flaw in federal labor policy, and remove an unnecessary obstacle to American job creation. With more than 14 million unemployed, we have a responsibility to protect workers and foster an environment for economic growth and prosperity.”

“If the NLRB is allowed to continue down this path, not only will the economy in my home state of South Carolina be affected, but the entire national economy as well,” said Rep. Scott, the sponsor of the legislation. “We must encourage companies to create jobs at home here in America and not overseas, and my legislation will remove the ability of an unelected government board to stand in the way of American job creation. I want to thank Chairman Kline, as well as the other original cosponsors, for supporting this bill, and look forward to seeing this legislation come before the full House.”

Under current law, the NLRB has more than a dozen remedies at its disposal to hold employers accountable for unlawful labor practices, including the authority to order a private company to relocate or transfer existing or planned employment. The legislation amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit the NLRB from ordering any employer to relocate, shut down, or transfer employment under any circumstance. Further, upon enactment, the limitation on the NLRB’s authority will apply to all cases that have not reached final adjudication before the board.

On Thursday, July 21 at 10:00 a.m., the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce will hold a markup of the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act. To read the legislation, click here.

 

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