Change to Win Applauds Approval of RESPECT Act

Legislation Needed to Correct Overbroad Definition of "Supervisor"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 19, 2007

CONTACT: Greg Denier or Chris Ortman
202-721-0660
chris.ortman@changetowin.org

WASHINGTON, DC – Following is a statement from Greg Tarpinian, Executive Director of Change to Win, on the House Education and Labor Committee’s approval of the RESPECT Act:

“Workers in jeopardy of losing their organizing and bargaining rights due to an overbroad definition of ‘supervisor’ today moved one step closer to regaining those rights. The seven unions and six million workers in Change to Win applaud the House Education and Labor Committee’s approval of legislation to restore a common-sense definition of ‘supervisor’ in the labor laws.

Recent decisions by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), collectively known as the Oakwood/Kentucky River trilogy of cases, dramatically expanded the types and number of workers who can be classified as ‘supervisors’ by their employer. As a result, those who performed supervisory duties for just a tiny fraction of their time - such as staff nurses who were required to perform the duties of a “charge nurse” one night a week on a rotating basis - could be considered supervisors and thus ineligible for protections under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). 

“The RESPECT Act would make modest corrections to the NLRA to restore the law to its original intent and ensure that only workers who have genuine supervisory duties during a majority of their work time may be viewed as ‘supervisors.’

“Change to Win commends Chairman George Miller for his continued leadership in support of restoring the American Dream for America’s workers, and hope that the House will soon follow suit and send the RESPECT Act to the Senate.”