President Obama's Leadership in Recess Appointments Ends Senate Gridlock

Washington, D.C. – The Communications Workers of America applauds President Obama’s intent to appoint three members to the National Labor Relations Board today. President Obama has shown leadership that is necessary to break the gridlock imposed by a do nothing Republican Congress and obstructionist Republican Senators. 

The Senate has been virtually paralyzed by the abuse of Senate rules that enables an individual Senator to block Senate action. All measures before the Senate now require a supermajority of 60 votes just to get to the floor for debate and discussion. As a result, progress on the programs and policies that working families need has come to a halt.

President Obama’s leadership today means that the NLRB will continue to function and that workers will be able to turn to the Labor Board to resolve serious issues of workplace justice.  Unfortunately, too many members of the U.S. Senate have sought to obstruct the people’s business by pledging to block appointments to the NLRB and other important agencies, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. CWA also commends President Obama for today’s appointment of Richard Cordray to head this agency.

“Without these recess appointments to the NLRB, working men and women, for the first time since 1935, would have no place to turn for workplace justice. It’s shameful that in the increasingly global economy, U.S. workers’ rights lag dramatically behind the rest of the world and too many Republican Senators are determined to block U.S. workers from exercising even limited rights. We applaud President Obama’s leadership that gives American workers at least some chance of justice on the job,” said CWA President Larry Cohen.