*SMLR-Net, the source of selected news on labor and employment relations and human resource management.*

* * Date: Sept 2012 Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) (thanks to Sturat Basefsky)

Link: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42703.pdf Headline/Title: The National Labor Relations Act: Background and Selected Topics

*Summary:* The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or “the Act”) recognizes the right of employees to engage in collective bargaining through representatives of their own choosing. By “encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining,” the Act attempts to mitigate and eliminate labor-related obstructions to the free flow of commerce. Although union membership has declined dramatically since the 1950s, congressional interest in the NLRA remains significant. In the 112th Congress, over 30 bills have been introduced to amend the NLRA. Some of these bills address the timing of union representation elections, while others are concerned with varying aspects of the NLRA, such as the activities of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which implements and administers the Act.

* **Author:* Jon O. Shimabukuro For the Full Article/Report, See: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42703.pdf