UPDATE, January 4, 2023: The spending bill passed by Congress in December includes a $25 million increase to the NLRB budget — still far short of what is needed, but a victory nonetheless (and the first funding boost in nearly a decade). Grassroots pressure works!
We are in the midst of a historic wave of new union organizing — but if Congress doesn’t take action this month to fully fund the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), employers will continue to break the law to keep workers from having a union.
Take action today! Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, ask to speak to your Congressperson and both Senators, and tell them to fully fund the NLRB now. Or use this online tool to send them an email.
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for running union elections and enforcing labor laws. Since 2014, the funding for the NLRB has been kept at a level dollar amount. In real terms, this means that there are fewer resources and fewer staff available to run elections and investigate unfair labor practice claims. Meanwhile, petitions to form a union increased by 58 percent in the first half of 2022, compared to the same period the year before. Likewise, reports of unfair labor practices increased by 18 percent.
Workers across our country, in all kinds of industries, are standing up and demanding their rights at the workplace — but without a fully funded NLRB, the laws that protect these workers cannot be enforced, leaving workers at risk of intimidation and retaliation without a legal remedy.
Call or send an email to Congress today!