Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the confirmation of Kent Hirozawa and Nancy Schiffer as Commissioners of the National Labor Relations Board. The confirmation of these nominees was part of the deal struck two weeks ago during the debate Merkley helped spark about changing the Senate rules on executive nominations.
“No worker should be subject to retaliation for asserting their rights, and no employer should be subject to illegal strikes. We have rules for a reason, but rules only work if there’s a referee to enforce them. That’s why today’s NLRB confirmations matter: the NLRB is the referee that ensures fairness in the workplace.
“I am glad we were able to confirm these qualified nominees today and fully fill the NLRB for the first time in a decade. Today’s votes are another reminder that making the Senate work means real things to real people. Timely up or down votes on executive nominations should be the new normal. The Senate must not hamstring the other two branches of government.”
###
English 
Spanish