6/20/2017

LABOR/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump tapped attorney Marvin Kaplan to fill a vacant seat on the National Labor Relations Board, taking a first step toward securing Republican control of the agency refereeing disputes between unions and business for the first time in nearly a decade.
The president announced his intent to nominate Mr. Kaplan, counsel at the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, to one of the five seats on the board on Monday evening. If he wins Senate confirmation, Mr. Kaplan would be the second Republican on the panel. A fifth position remains vacant, but it is expected the White House will name another Republican for that spot.
Democrats control two of the three occupied seats on the board, but Mr. Trump has elevated the sole Republican, Philip Miscimarra, to chairman. That move slowed issuance of agency decisions, since Mr. Miscimarra can control which cases are decided but lacks the votes to win rulings.”

-Eric Morath, “Trump Moves to End Democrats’ Control of National Labor Relations Board,” The Wall Street Journal online, June 20, 2017 10:41am