On a mostly party-line vote, the U.S. House today approved legislation aimed at upsetting an ongoing NLRB case about Boeing’s transfer of a production line from Washington to South Carolina as retaliation against union workers. For the Republicans it’s all about right to work (for less). It’s also about neutering labor law. Needless to say, U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin voted against workers and for legislation that critics say will ease the movement of U.S. jobs to foreign countries.
All other Arkies voted for this anti-worker bill, including Democratic Rep. Mike Ross, once considered somewhat friendly to labor, but now running hard for governor in 2014 and unlikely to do anything to tamper with the flow of money from corporate lobbies. He was one of only eight Democrats to vote for the bill.
Comment from Lafe Solomon, native Arkansan and acting general counsel for the NLRB:
“The decision had absolutely nothing to do with political considerations, and there were no consultations with the White House,” he said. “Regrettably, some have chosen to insert politics into what should be a straightforward legal procedure. These continuing political attacks are baseless and unprecedented and take the focus away from where it belongs — the ongoing trial in Seattle.”