The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued its support today for a rule suggested by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which would ease and hasten union-organizing elections at private-sector companies, a move that unions have sought for many years.

The rule, if approved, would eliminate existing hurdles that can delay union-organizing votes with meritless and unnecessary litigation. The changes would streamline pre- and post-election procedures to help facilitate agreement and consolidate all election-related appeals into a post-election appeals process. Taken together, they would help stop companies from abusing the legal process to stall election votes, as many do now.

“Workers for too long have been forced to endure unnecessary delays when they have tried to start a union,” Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa said. “We urge the NLRB to move forward with these changes so hard-working Americans can organize and better provide for their families.”

The reforms the Board will propose would:

• Allow for electronic filing and transmission of election petitions and other documents;
• Ensure that employees, employers and unions receive and exchange timely information they need to understand and participate in the representation case process;
• Streamline pre- and post-election procedures to facilitate agreement and eliminate unnecessary litigation;
• Include telephone numbers and email addresses in voter lists to enable parties to the election to be able to communicate with voters using modern technology; and
• Consolidate all election-related appeals to the Board into a single post-election appeals process.

On February 5^th, Vice president Joe Biden said about the proposal, “Business and right wing backers of so-called "right to work" laws really want "the right for them to eliminate your right to have a say in your work," Vice President Joseph Biden says. And unions are "the only ones keeping those barbarians at the gate", he adds of the right wing and its business backers. "We have to organize to fight back against these unrelenting efforts to diminish collective bargaining," Biden declared. "We have to adapt, but the moment workers lose the ability to be represented" by unions, "that's the moment we all lose out." 

You Can Read The NLRB Comments Here and, 

The Federal Register On The Rule Can Be Viewed Here

Read an AP Article about the Amendments Here