President's Corner: Who Really Has Your Back?

The Trump NLRB has advanced an anti-worker, anti-union, corporate agenda that has undermined workers’ ability to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. Through a series of decisions, rulemakings, and general counsel initiatives, the agency has systematically rolled back worker protections and betrayed its statutory obligation to administer and enforce the NLRA. The Trump board has faithfully acted on a top-10 corporate-interest wish list published by the Chamber of Commerce in early 2017—taking action on 10 out of 10 items on this list.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As 2020 approaches and we gear up for elections, please take a moment to read and share this revealing report from the Economic Policy Institute on the actions of the National Labor Review Board (NLRB) under the Trump administration. 

https://www.epi.org/publication/unprecedented-the-trump-nlrbs-attack-on-workers-rights

Let us all be clear that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the largest corporate lobbyist in the world, and that they also represent corporate media—powerful gatekeepers and propagators of information whose best interests are often at odds with that of the American worker. Media has convinced so many of us that we must pick one political side on every issue. When we fall for this, they have us exactly where they want us—on the menu instead of at the table.

The fact is, collective labor by its very nature is bipartisan. It's working people coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and ideologies to fight as one for our right to livable wages, safe working conditions, job security, access to healthcare, retirement and other important benefits, and a voice in the matters of the day that impact our futures. For us, those rights must come first—ahead of party affiliation—in every election. Those rights not only improve quality of life for union members, but they raise the standard of living for everyone in our communities. 

The EPI's findings on NLRB actions under the Trump administration should concern all of us. The National Labor Relations Act created the American middle class—the working class. That's you and me, no matter where we fall on the political spectrum. If we stand united for workers, then powerful, corporate-friendly forces like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, big media, and this anti-labor administration cannot strong-arm the labor movement into submission for their own gain. 

We're just months away from the primaries and one year away from choosing a U.S. president who will control future actions of the NLRB, and who will represent either American workers or American corporate interests. Despite their campaign promises, they cannot and will not do both. So I ask every one of us to educate ourselves on where candidates stand on issues important to working people, talk with your brothers and sisters about issues important to you, and in next year's elections to vote your profession, vote your paycheck, vote your future.

In Solidarity,

Mike Pilcher, President
Northern Nevada Central Labor Council
Nevada AFL-CIO Executive Board Member