A Victory for U.S. Labor Law
December 6, 2011
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The right-wing darlings in Congress who are so quick to wave the U.S. Constitution about and declare they favor strict adherence to the laws of the land, might want to applaud the 75-year old law that created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and set the stage for a resolution of the contentious dispute between the IAM and Boeing.
Instead, we continue to hear rancorous calls for legislation to defund the agency, deny appropriate staffing and eliminate the delicate balance that has been the foundation for successful collective bargaining for decades.
In a recent article titled, ‘Congress Should Follow Labor Law, Not Blow It Up,’ reporter Ted Reed suggests that lawmakers could benefit by following the example set by Boeing and the IAM during negotiations that led to the recent tentative agreement.
Despite a checkered history and differences that might seem insurmountable, leaders of the IAM and Boeing met to discuss areas of shared concern and common interest. The meetings and dialog led to negotiations that produced an historic tentative agreement that clearly demonstrates the value of the collective bargaining process – for both sides.
“So the two sides went into negotiations and settled their differences with compromises on both sides,” said Reed. “What a novel idea. Congress should try it some time.”
