BrianGarst.com

The National Labor Relations Board, which once targeted a dead CEO for union infractions, has dropped its frivolous challenge against Boeing’s plan to open a plant in South Carolina, a right-to-work state. All’s well that ends well, right? Unfortunately, no. Despite the withdrawn complaint, the damage has been done.

The NLRB only dropped its case after Boeing reached an agreement with the union, which ought to leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth who believes in free enterprise and honest government. Essentially, the NLRB used their frivolous case as leverage on behalf of the union, which meant that their demands carried with them a thuggish threat of abusive government power should Boeing not cave.

U.S. Chamber Senior Vice President Randy Johnson describes just how perverse was the whole arrangement to Bloomberg:

“The union brings a complaint, the NLRB brings the charge, and once the union works things out, like a good foot soldier, the NLRB withdraws its complaint,” said Randy Johnson, who handles labor policy at the Washington-based Chamber. The possibility of similar action by the NLRB leaves “a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the business community.”

The precedent here is simply chilling, and the message to businesses is clear: you will surrender to union demands without resistance, or face the full force of a US government that has been captured and corrupted by unions. Thankfully, Rep. Issa is continuing his inquiry into this rogue agency and its out of control actions on behalf of narrow, special, labor-union interests at the expense of the US economy.

NLRB