Senate Democrats Block Vote on Overriding Veto of Resolution to Stop Ambush Elections Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 2015 – Senate Democrats today refused to allow the United States Senate to vote on overriding the president’s veto of a Congressional Review Act resolution that would stop the National Labor Relations Board’s ambush election rule. 

A Senate majority voted to stop the rule on March 4. A House majority voted to stop the rule on March 19. The president vetoed the resolution on March 31 and Senate Democrats have objected to a simple up or down vote to override this veto.    

Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) said: “The President’s partisan veto will further empower partisan  political bosses at the expense of the rights of middle-class workers. Republicans believe workers have the right to make their own, informed choices when casting a ballot in the workplace; we don’t think powerful political bosses should rush or force that decision on them, as the ambush rule proposes. We’ll continue to stand strong and united against Obama Administration attempts to weaken workers’ rights in order to enrich its political friends.” 

Senate labor committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said: “A majority of both houses voted to stop this rule that forces a union election before an employer has a chance to figure out what is going on, and jeopardizes employees’ privacy by requiring employers to turn over employees’ personal information including email addresses, phone numbers, shift hours and locations to union organizers. It is a loss for workers and employers across the country that the president vetoed the bill and now Democrats refuse to allow the Senate to vote on overriding that veto. Because of Democrats’ obstruction, I voted with Senate Majority Leader McConnell to table the motion – otherwise Democrats would be able to further obstruct our ability to deal with important issues including Iran, trade agreements, and fixing No Child Left Behind.”

Senate Budget Committee chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said: “It is unfortunate that the Minority has chosen to play politics on this important issue. The National Labor Relations Board ambush election rule would hurt employees and employers alike by forcing union elections to be completed on an unfair timetable. Congress should overturn this unnecessary regulation that makes it harder for small businesses to go through the union election process and deny employees the time they need to make informed decisions.” 

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