Missourians Ask McCaskill To Take Stand On “Micro-Unions”

NLRB Policy Harms Job Creation In Show Me State

The Coalition to Protect Missouri Jobs (CPMOJ) today held an event highlighting the negative impact that “micro-unions” can have on job growth and asked Senator Claire McCaskill to take a stand against them.

In August 2011, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)decided to upend nearly half a century of labor law allowing the formation of multiple micro-unions within a single company.  This policy allows for numerous small unions with varying interests and agendas to compete under one roof.

Furthermore, in a recent decision, the NLRB’s Regional Director in New York City approved a micro-union application for employees at the retailer Bergdorf Goodman allowing the formation of a small collective bargaining unit for part-time and full-time employees in the second floor and fifth floor women’s shoe department.  Micro-unions can have as few as two or three members, and their implementation would cause confusion for workers throughout Missouri businesses.

“We need Claire McCaskill to stand with job creators and not Big Labor,” said Jason Klindt, state director of the Coalition to Protect Missouri Jobs (CPMOJ).  “So far, Senator McCaskill has refused to tell her constituents where she stands.  Its time she provided an answer.”

“We need common sense policies that apply to employees and management when it comes to forming a union,” said Jim Kistler, president of the Association of Builder Contractors Heart of America chapter.  “It does not make sense to have various micro-unions in one place of work.  I hope that Senator McCaskill will stand with job creators.”

“Missouri is doing its best to create an environment that helps job creation,” said state Senator Rob Schaaf.  “Unfortunately, the federal government is doing the opposite and handing down rules like micro-unions that stop job creation in its tracks.”

“We need our federal lawmakers to be on the side of common sense,” said Mike Thomson, Missouri State Representative.  “We need to get rid of micro-unions and get back to common sense.”

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to take up an amendment which will deny funds to the NLRB to administer micro-unions.  Senator McCaskill has yet to say how she would vote on the issue and she should stake out a position on this specific amendment.