Dear Senators:
On behalf of the 56,000 members of the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA), I am writing to thank you for confirming the nomination of Lauren McFerran as a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and to urge you to reject the nomination of Marvin Kaplan to another term on the NLRB.
Until your confirmation of Ms. McFerran, this was the first time in its 85-year history that the NLRB had been comprised solely of Republican members. The five-member Board is structured to have three members of the party of the president and two members of the opposition party.
Ms. McFerran served as the sole Democratic member of the Board until her term expired in December 2019. Throughout her time at the NLRB, she has steadfastly upheld the letter and spirit of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), fulfilling the mandate of the agency, and we are pleased she will not continue to do so.
By contrast, Marvin Kaplan has supported anti-worker decisions that undermined the NLRA and he has also drafted legislation to weaken worker protections under the law. He has joined the other Republican members on the Board in finalizing rules and issuing decisions that undermine workers’ rights, allow employers to gerrymander bargaining units, and restrict NLRA protections. In this time of economic crisis and suffering, workers need advocates, not adversaries, in vitally important positions such as this one. Simply put, Mr. Kaplan’s record should disqualify him from being confirmed to another five-year term.
Please stand up for workers, for the law, and for the NLRB’s bipartisan structure. Please vote against confirming Marvin Kaplan and, again, thank you for approving the nomination of Lauren McFerran.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Stepano
General President
