WFI responds to White House on “scaled back regulations”

From a Workforce Fairness Institute press release:

WFI Responds To White House On “Scaled Back Regulations”

Washington, D.C. (August 23, 2011) – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) issued the following statement and list of rules, complaints and actions President Obama can instruct Federal agencies to shed or refrain from enacting if today’s announcement from the White House concerning plans for “ending or cutting back hundreds of regulations…to reduce the burden on business” is at all serious.

“Today’s announcement on reduced regulations from the White House certainly appears to be nothing more than a political charade. As the Obama Administration makes this announcement, his regulatory agencies are considering job-killing rules that will increase unemployment and force businesses to close,” said Fred Wszolek, spokesperson for the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI). “President Obama may think he’s being clever, but in reality, actions like these insult workers and employers as they fail to seriously address the issues impeding job creation. If Obama is in any way genuine, he will call on his National Labor Relations Board, National Mediation Board and Department of Labor to stop the assault against small businesses so they can focus on getting our nation’s economy back on a path toward recovery.”

Rules, Complaints & Actions President Obama Can Instruct Federal Agencies To Shed Or Refrain From Enacting

1) NLRB: Rescind complaint against the Boeing Company.

2) NLRB: Withhold issuance of ruling in Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile.

3) NLRB: Cease activity on proposed rule closing the election window from 38 days to just over a week.

4) NLRB: Refrain from instituting organizing elections that are offsite or employ electronic technology.

5) NLRB: Withdraw decision requiring employees who objected to paying full agency fees for nonrepresentational purposes to renew annually.

6) NLRB: End lawsuit against states that passed constitutional amendments defending the secret ballot.

7) NLRB: Cancel judgment allowing third party contractors to access private property to organize workers and distribute materials.

8) NLRB: Annul decision allowing large inflatable rats to be displayed outside businesses for the purpose of intimidating workers and customers.

9) NMB: Retract rule changing nearly a century of precedent in the airline and railroad industries whereby a majority of workers were required to form a collective bargaining unit.

10) NMB: Stop frivolous investigations against airlines and job creators.

BACKGROUND:

“White House To Scale Back Regulations On Businesses”:

“The Obama administration will release final plans Tuesday for ending or cutting back hundreds of regulations, an effort to reduce the burden on business and counter criticism that the White House is tone-deaf to business concerns. Certain railroad cars won’t have to install expensive technology, hospitals will be able to skip a round of federal paperwork and low-risk travelers to the U.S. will enjoy expedited entry, officials said. Some businesses will be allowed to file federal forms electronically. The administration estimates that about a dozen of the changes will save businesses some $10 billion over five years, with other smaller initiatives adding to the total. But the changes don’t affect the broad thrust of major administration initiatives that have drawn criticism from businesses, such as proposed rules to reduce carbon emissions and laws passed last year that aim to protect consumers from financial and health-insurance abuses. The White House said it sought to eliminate ‘dumb’ rules without undermining the underlying goals.” (Laura Meckler, “White House To Scale Back Regulations On Businesses,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/23/11)

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