National Labor Relations Board, independent agency overseeing labor law and union elections
Background
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1935 to enforce the National Labor Relations Act, which protects workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain. The NLRB investigates and adjudicates unfair labor practice charges and oversees union representation elections. It has five presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed members serving five-year staggered terms; federal statute permits removal only for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Donald Trump’s February 2025 firing of NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox without cause, and a simultaneous firing of the NLRB general counsel, left the board without the quorum needed to issue decisions during a period of significant labor-management disputes arising from federal workforce restructuring.