Presented by Wilma Liebman, former Chair of the National Labor Relations Board
From Wisconsin to Capitol Hill, we have witnessed an escalating battle over the very legitimacy of labor law and existence of collective bargaining rights. The political and economic environment in which this conflict is occurring has ratcheted up the attacks and overheated the rhetoric, exposing a divide as profound as any on the domestic policy front. While the NLRB, from the beginning, has been no stranger to controversy, events of the last few years have represented a record accumulation of difficulties. Recent actions by the Board and its Acting General Counsel, including efforts to revitalize the Agency and its procedures, have triggered intense reactions by Congress, the business community, and the media. While the imperative for a sober dialogue over a fair labor policy could not be more real, what we have instead is rancorous political rhetoric.
Former NLRB Chairman Wilma Liebman will discuss the Board’s recent activities, the political controversy they have triggered, and the persistent challenges to the enduring values of the National Labor Relations Act — including the rule of law itself — all critical to a democratic society and a fair economy.