RILA Urges Overturn of Micro-union Rule

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) encouraged members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee to overturn a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that creates micro-unions. The subcommittee is slated to consider the FY 2013 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which includes a provision reversing the decision, on July 18.

The result of the NLRB’s 2011 Specialty Healthcare decision, micro-unions enable union organizers to cherry-pick small groups of employees within a larger workforce, according to Arlington, Va.-based RILA, which maintained that such units would impede employees’ ability to develop their knowledge base and further their careers.

“Not only does internal growth benefit the employee, but employers find that it provides for better employee retention and a healthier connection between senior management and the employees in their stores,” said Bill Hughes, RILA’s SVP for government affairs, in a letter sent to the subcommittee.

Last November, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by a vote of 235-188 legislation to address micro-unions, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act (HR 3094). More recently, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 15-15 on a Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill amendment introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) that would have overturned the micro-union rule. While the vote failed, Graham’s amendment was the only one of its kind to receive bipartisan support in both legislative houses.