How the NLRB Works

Labor Relations: Work Hard for the Money Today, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, an independent federal agency, is tasked with the enforcement of laws controlling the relationship between private sector employers and unions. To determine the function of the NLRB and how it accomplishes this responsibility, this paper explores the NLRB Web site to evaluate the role of the agency with respect to labor disputes, commerce, employees, employers and labor organizations.

Finally, an explanation concerning how the agency can provide the information and tools needed to resolve labor disputes is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning the NLRB in the conclusion. Review and Analysis Evaluation of the role of the NLRB as it pertains to labor disputes, commerce, employees, employers, and labor organizations The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was created by the U.S. Congress in 1935 in response to growing civil unrest concerning organized employment issues (Amodeo, 2014).

Since that time, the NLRB has sought to promote and protect employee and employer rights with respect to collective bargaining and have routinely negotiated the terms of employment conditions through designated representatives from labor and management (Amodeo, 2014). The NLRB pursues labor dispute resolution pursuant to section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935 which stipulates the specific rights of labor organizations and defines unfair labor practices (ULPs) (Amodeo, 2014).

According to Amodeo, "The [NLRA] divides ULPs into several categories: illegal employer actions, illegal union actions, protections of political viewpoints, the obligation to honor collective bargaining efforts, contract enforceability, and the right to strike" (p. 790). The goal of these efforts is to resolve labor disputes as quickly and as fairly as possible for all stakeholders involved in order to restore organizational economic productivity (Amodeo, 2014).

Likewise, Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA) assigns broad-based jurisdiction to federal courts concerning the resolution of labor disputes in an effort to promote compliance with these labor agreements; however, such labor disputes become the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is they are representational (Labor law, 2011).

The NLRB's Web site states that, "The National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects the rights of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve their wages and working conditions" (Who we are, 2016, para. 1). An organization chart of the NLRB is provided at Appendix A. To its credit, the NLRB has been highly effective in mediating resolutions to even seemingly intractable labor disputes.

For instance, according to the NLRB's Web site, "More than 90% of meritorious unfair labor practice cases are settled by agreement at some point in the process, either through a Board settlement or a private agreement" (Facilitate settlements, 2016, para. 2). Achieving this level of success requires the provision of the information and tools that are needed by disputants to resolve labor issues and these are discussed further below.

Explanation concerning how this organization can provide the information and tools needed to resolve labor issues At present, the NLRB provides disputants with an online e-filing program that can be used to initiate NLRB inquiries. In addition, the NLRB also offers a formal online e-filing program wherein disputants can file charges or petitions against an employer. The process by which the NLRB mediates alleged ULPs is depicted at Appendix B.

The NRLB Web site also offers all of the forms that are routinely required for unfair labor practice disputes, including the following: Form NLRB-501 - Charge Against Employer Form NLRB-508 - Charge Against Labor Organization or its Agents Form NLRB-509 - Charge Alleging Violation(s) Under Section 8(e) - (Entering a hot cargo agreement) Form NLRB-601 - Withdrawal Request Form NLRB-4541 - Unfair Labor Practice Procedures Form NLRB-4551 - Request to Proceed Form NLRB-4701 - Notice of Appearance Form NLRB-4702 - Annual Notice for Receipt of Charges and Petitions Form NLRB-4767 - Notice of Appeal Form NLRB-4943 - Notice of Designation of Attorney or Representative Form NLRB-5081 - Questionnaire on Commerce Information (Rev 2011) Conclusion Although unions no longer exercise the level of power they did during the 20th century, they are still authorized as the law of the land and collective bargaining remains the foundation for labor-management relations.