Feds threaten to sue states over union laws

WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Labor Relations Board on Friday threatened to sue Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah over constitutional amendments guaranteeing workers the right to a secret ballot in union elections.

The agency's acting general counsel, Lafe Solomon, said the amendments conflict with federal law, which gives employers the option of recognizing a union if a majority of workers sign cards that support unionizing.

(Full story)

Protectionist law slowing oil spill cleanup?

(Fox News) - Foreign companies possessing some of the world's most advanced oil skimming ships say they are being kept out of efforts to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf because of a 1920's law known as the Jones Act -- a protectionist law that requires vessels working in U.S. waters be built in the U.S. and be crewed by U.S. workers.

Joseph Carafano of the Heritage Foundation has been studying the matter and wonders, "Are we accepting all the international assistance in the maritime domain that we can, and is the Jones Act an impediment to that?"

(Full story)

Rule change would make it easier to force unions on workers

(The Hill) - Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said Monday he wants to stop a federal rule change by the Obama administration that could make it easier for railway and airline employees to form unions.

The National Mediation Board issued its final rule Monday that changed how workers could unionize at companies covered by the Railway Labor Act. Originally, a majority of workers at a company covered by the law had to vote for a union while those not voting were counted as "no" votes.

Under the new rule made final on Monday, if a majority of workers who cast votes said they wanted to form a union, the company would be unionized.

(Full story)