Chavez
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will implement new notification rules of employee rights in the workplace. The new rules require that employers post information about employee rights online and in the workplace.
The rule applies even for employers that have never committed a violation or never have been accused of unfair labor practices. Prior to this, employers were required to post notices of workers' rights only if a violation of labor law occurred.
Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation (NRWF) - a charitable organization that provides free legal assistance to employees nationwide - condemned the rule changes.
"The NLRB's new rules are just the latest example of the Obama Labor Board's biased approach to administering labor law," he said
But some pro-business conservatives are not too troubled. They believe in informing workers about rights as long as they are informed of all of their rights.
Linda Chavez, President George W. Bush's nominee for Secretary of Labor in 2001, now chairs the Center for Equal Opportunity. She said this could benefit workers if done equitably.
"I believe in information being accessible," Chavez said. "What I would want to make sure is that they are as aggressive in informing employees about not having their union dues go to partisan political activities or about their right not to join a union."
Some employers are disturbed that while the NLRB requires them to inform workers of their rights there is no such requirement of labor unions. They would like labor unions to be required to inform workers pertaining to the employee's right not to join a union or to opt out of union dues.
Not only is the unequal treatment disturbing to some but the increased bureaucracy is as well.
Mix said that the Obama administration had promised to lessen the bureaucracy of federal regulations.
"This unprecedented rule change fundamentally changes (and expands) the NLRB from a remedial role to an agency that is involved with every workplace in the country even if no allegations of violations have occurred," he said.
He remarked that this is just another in a series of special interest group paybacks from the Obama administration to Big Labor.
"If the NLRB was really interested in protecting workers, they would inform workers of the dangers of coercive 'card check' instead of burdening job providers and independent-minded employees with new rules that undermine workplace freedom," he said.