List of Chairs of the National Labor Relations Board
Encyclopedia
This is a list of Chairs of the National Labor Relations Board
.
s, can upset this schedule). Members are nominated by the President of the United States
and confirmed by the United States Senate
. Traditionally, a majority of the board belongs to the President's political party. The President designates the Chair from one of the existing Members. The Chair serves at the pleasure of the President, and may be demoted without cause or warning at any time.
The Chair's powers are limited. The Chair, like other Board Members, has a chief legal counsel and a legal staff. Except for certain limited and purely administrative functions (such as being the recipient of appeals or Freedom of Information Act
requests), one former NLRB Chair has said "the chairmanship—given the authority of the general counsel to appoint regional staff and recommend regional directors to the entire Board (not just to the chairman)—is more like a bully pulpit than a position of authority." The Chair does, however, work with the Office of Management and Budget to craft the NLRB's budget proposal to Congress, may propose to the Board changes to NLRB procedures and guidance manuals, and may propose that the Board engage in rulemaking
.
or management. President Dwight Eisenhower's appointment of Guy Farmer in 1953 broke this two-decade-old tradition (Farmer was a management attorney). Presidents John F. Kennedy
and Lyndon B. Johnson
both returned to the tradition of appointing neutral third-parties to the position of Board Chair, but President Richard M. Nixon appointed a management-side attorney. The Board as a whole was under intense Congressional scrutiny from its inception until the 1960s. This ended in the 1960s and 1970s, but resumed in the 1980s. Subsequent appointments to the position of Chair have been heavily partisan and from either a strongly pro-union or pro-management position.
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
.
Appointment and duties
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has five Members, each of whom serves for a five year term. Terms are staggered so that one Member's term expires each year (although delays in nominations and confirmation, as well as the use of recess appointmentRecess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
s, can upset this schedule). Members are nominated by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Traditionally, a majority of the board belongs to the President's political party. The President designates the Chair from one of the existing Members. The Chair serves at the pleasure of the President, and may be demoted without cause or warning at any time.
The Chair's powers are limited. The Chair, like other Board Members, has a chief legal counsel and a legal staff. Except for certain limited and purely administrative functions (such as being the recipient of appeals or Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act (United States)
The Freedom of Information Act is a federal freedom of information law that allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government. The Act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure...
requests), one former NLRB Chair has said "the chairmanship—given the authority of the general counsel to appoint regional staff and recommend regional directors to the entire Board (not just to the chairman)—is more like a bully pulpit than a position of authority." The Chair does, however, work with the Office of Management and Budget to craft the NLRB's budget proposal to Congress, may propose to the Board changes to NLRB procedures and guidance manuals, and may propose that the Board engage in rulemaking
Rulemaking
In administrative law, rulemaking refers to the process that executive and independent agencies use to create, or promulgate, regulations. In general, legislatures first set broad policy mandates by passing statutes, then agencies create more detailed regulations through rulemaking.By bringing...
.
Changing politics of appointments
From 1935 to 1953, it was customary for the Chair (like all Members of the NLRB) to be a neutral career government employee rather than an advocate of either labor unionsTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
or management. President Dwight Eisenhower's appointment of Guy Farmer in 1953 broke this two-decade-old tradition (Farmer was a management attorney). Presidents John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
both returned to the tradition of appointing neutral third-parties to the position of Board Chair, but President Richard M. Nixon appointed a management-side attorney. The Board as a whole was under intense Congressional scrutiny from its inception until the 1960s. This ended in the 1960s and 1970s, but resumed in the 1980s. Subsequent appointments to the position of Chair have been heavily partisan and from either a strongly pro-union or pro-management position.
List of chairs
| Name | Political Affiliation | Dates of Service |
|---|---|---|
| J. Warren Madden J. Warren Madden J. Warren Madden, born Joseph Warren Madden, was an American lawyer, judge, civil servant, and educator. He served on the United States Court of Claims and was the first Chair of the National Labor Relations Board... |
Democrat | 08/27/35 - 08/26/40 |
| Harry A. Millis Harry A. Millis Harry Alvin Millis was an American civil servant, economist, and educator and who was prominent in the first four decades of the 20th century. He was a prominent educator, and his writings on labor relations were described at his death by several prominent economists as "landmarks"... |
Democrat | 11/26/40 - 07/04/45 |
| Paul M. Herzog Paul M. Herzog Paul M. Herzog was an American lawyer, educator, civil servant, and university administrator. He was Chairman of the United States National Labor Relations Board from 1945 to 1953.-Early life and career:... |
Democrat | 07/05/45 - 06/30/53 |
| Guy Farmer | Republican | 07/13/53 - 08/27/55 |
| Boyd S. Leedom | Republican | 11/02/55 - 03/06/61 |
| Frank W. McCulloch | Democrat | 03/07/61 - 06/02/70 |
| Edward B. Miller | Republican | 06/03/70 - 12/16/74 |
| Betty S. Murphy Betty S. Murphy Betty Jane Southard Murphy was an American attorney who was the first woman to serve on the National Labor Relations Board, serving as the agency's eighth chair from 1975 to 1977... |
Republican | 02/18/75 - 04/13/77 |
| John H. Fanning John H. Fanning John Harold Fanning was an American lawyer and member of the National Labor Relations Board for a record 25 years . He was the Board's Chair from 1977 to 1981.-Early life:... |
Democrat | 04/14/77 - 08/14/81 |
| John R. Van de Water | Republican | 08/18/81 - 12/16/82 |
| John C. Miller | Republican | 12/27/82 - 03/07/83 |
| Donald L. Dotson | Republican | 03/07/83 - 12/16/87 |
| James M. Stephens | Republican | 12/17/87 - 03/06/94 |
| William B. Gould IV | Democrat | 03/07/94 - 08/27/98 |
| John C. Truesdale John C. Truesdale John Cushman Truesdale, Jr. was an American lawyer and civil servant who served two terms as Executive Secretary of the National Labor Relations Board, four terms as a Board member, and one term as Board Chair.... |
Democrat | 12/04/98 - 05/14/01 |
| Peter J. Hurtgen | Republican | 05/15/01 - 08/01/02 |
| Robert J. Battista | Republican | 12/17/02 - 12/16/07 |
| Peter C. Schaumber | Republican | 03/19/08 - 01/19/09 |
| Wilma B. Liebman Wilma B. Liebman Wilma B. Liebman is an American lawyer and civil servant who is best known for serving as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board . She was designated Chair of the Board by President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009, becoming only the second woman to lead the NLRB.-Early life and... |
Democrat | 01/20/09-08/27/11 |
| Mark Gaston Pearce | Democrat | 08/28/11-present |