AAHOA Applauds Introduction of the NLRB Reform Act

ATLANTA, Jan. 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) strongly supports the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Reform Act, which would provide crucial restructuring of the NLRB, revising its role from advocate to neutral arbitrator and leveling the playing field between employers, employees and organized labor.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander introduced the bill Wednesday, in an effort to restore balance to the NLRB. If enacted, the measure would reinforce bipartisanship by increasing the number of board members from five to six, requiring an even distribution of Republicans and Democrats. It would also encourage swifter decision-making by reducing the NLRB's funding if the board does not decide 90 percent of its cases within one year.

Additionally, the bill would restrain the NLRB's general counsel, preventing harmful decisions that circumvent federal law, which has been a serious issue in recent cases.

"For too long, the NLRB has actively and blatantly advocated for the interests of big labor, instead of serving as a neutral arbiter on workforce issues. The NLRB's callous disregard for impartiality and the rule of law has strained relations between employees and employers, exclusively in an effort to score a political advantage," AAHOA Interim President Chip Rogers said.

"AAHOA is proud to support Leader McConnell and Chairman Alexander in their effort to rein in unelected bureaucrats and unprecedented overreach that creates a climate adverse to job creation and small business development," Rogers continued. "The NLRB Reform Act will bring transparency and objectivity to labor relations and reestablish neutrality to one of the most influential agencies in the federal government."

Recently, the NLRB's general counsel authorized actions against McDonald's USA LLC that would rewrite federal labor laws in an effort to impute liability onto franchisors in employment decisions. This attempt at creating a new standard for consideration as a "joint employer" would effectively remove the separation between franchisors and franchisees, and thus destroy the franchise business model.

"Time after time, we have seen the NLRB make dangerous decisions and trample the rights of small businesses and employees. The NLRB's action against McDonald's Corporation is just one example of a misguided action that strikes at the heart of successful entrepreneurship in America," AAHOA Chairman Pratik Patel said. "This legislation would not only provide necessary restructuring of the NLRB, but would also protect small business owners and the free market."

As the largest hotel owners association in the world, AAHOA advocates for policies that expand entrepreneurial opportunities and passage of the NLRB Reform Act would pave the way for such opportunities in the future.

Founded in 1989, AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with over 14,000 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own more than 20,000 properties amounting to more than 40 percent of all hotels in the United States and employ nearly 600,000 workers, accounting for over $9.4 billion in payroll annually.