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The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) final rule modernizing and streamlining its election procedures goes into effect today. The rule is expected to eliminate some of the wasteful, unnecessary litigation that employers have used to delay elections and collective bargaining. Some of the highlights of the Board’s new rule include:

• Requiring pre-election hearings within eights days in most cases;
• Allowing Regional Directors to put off deciding disputes over voter eligibility until after the election;
• Requiring employers to submit position statements addressing key issues before the hearing;
• Requiring employers to provide workers’ personal contact information if available, to the union two days after the election agreement or Regional Director’s decision; and
• Shortening the time it takes to get an election.

President Obama vetoed resolutions disapproving the rule passed by congressional Republicans. The new election rule is a step in the right direction for union elections, but it is still vulnerable due to pending lawsuits brought by employer groups in Washington, DC, and Texas. More details on the election rule can be found in a recent memo by the NLRB.