Dear John,

In perfect juxtaposition to the celebration of Labor Day, Republicans want to stop the confirmation of National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox.

As “hot labor summer” moves into an even hotter labor fall, there’s a lot to celebrate about the state of union power and organizing right now. Recent contract negotiation wins have demonstrated just how powerful labor can be. For example, UPS workers just recently negotiated a compelling new contract, narrowly avoiding a strike.

But labor is always under attack. With Hollywood writers and actors on strike, United Auto Workers authorizing a strike, and new unions like Starbucks Workers United and Amazon Labor Union facing off against some of the most aggressive illegal union busting in history, the NLRB has been absolutely critical in supporting workers and helping them fight back.

Here’s the deal: Republicans know if they can stop Wilcox from being re-confirmed, then the NLRB will be without the official quorum needed for the board to do its work. That would mean the NLRB would have its hands tied behind its back, unable to step in and protect workers from corporate wrongdoing and illegal union busting.

This is why the Senate needs to hear from us immediately. Sign and send a message calling on your senators to confirm Gwynne Wilcox to the NLRB now.

By negotiating higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions, unions help to reduce all forms of income inequality, including closing the racial wealth gap. A powerful new report from the U.S. Treasury Department revealed that middle-class union workers tend to have wages 10-15% higher than non-union labor.

Meanwhile, support for the labor movement continues to be widespread. A new Gallup poll shows that 67% of Americans approve of labor unions and three in four side with the United Auto Workers decision to strike if their current contract expires on September 14 without a new agreement in place.

But if the NLRB is weakened and made ineffective now, workers won’t have the power of the federal government fighting back against union-busting at a time when their support for workers has helped make a difference nationwide. Remember: A robust NLRB means more power for American workers to countervail the immense power of big American corporations.

Time is of the essence. Word is that the Senate plans to vote as soon as Wednesday.

That’s a good thing, because Member Wilcox’s term ended last Sunday. If she’s not re-confirmed to the board asap, the NLRB will no longer have the legally required number of confirmed members needed, effectively completely shutting down the work of the board.

Please take a moment to sign and send your message calling on your senators to confirm Biden’s nominee Gwynne Wilcox to the NLRB now.

In solidarity,

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action