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Unions cheer after Biden fires labor attorneys

One of Biden’s first actions as president was to fire Peter Robb, general counsel for the National Labor Relations Board, then to fire his replacement, Deputy General Counsel Alice Stock.

Both Robb and Stock, who were appointed by former-President Donald Trump, were asked to resign, but they refused, citing precedent. Biden then fired them.

Traditionally, the attorneys in these positions stayed through the transition from one president to another, completing their four-year terms. But Biden was pressured by union leaders to replace Robb and Stock with more union-friendly appointees.

Unions like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Communications Workers of America (CWA) asked Biden to fire Robb. Several union leaders took to twitter to celebrate Robb’s firing after Biden ousted him.

Some members of Congress have raised questions as to whether Biden had the authority to fire the two attorneys.

The NLRB is meant to be an independent agency. It has significant regulatory authority over how labor relations are managed in the U.S.

With Biden’s appointment of former union president Marty Walsh as the head of the Department of Labor, and now the firing of Robb and Stock, it is apparent that union leaders will have significant sway over government actions related to unions during the Biden administration.

Suzanne Bates

Suzanne Bates is Senior Writer and Researcher with Americans for Fair Treatment, a community of current and former public-sector workers offering resources and support to exercise their First Amendment rights. Prior to joining Americans for Fair Treatment in 2020, Suzanne worked as a journalist for the Associated Press, as Policy Director with the Yankee Institute, as a contributor for The Hartford Courant, and as a regular commentator for WNPR’s The Wheelhouse.

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