Labored Relations : Law, Politics, and the NLRB--A Memoir

by William B. Gould IV

• ISBN13: 9780262571555
• ISBN10: 0262571552
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-10-01
• Publisher: Mit Pr

Summary

From 1994 to 1998, William B. Gould IV served as Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. One of only three NLRB Chairmen to come from an academic background, he quickly realized that he was an outsider in a very political world. In this compelling memoir, Gould describes the tribulations of trying to assure impartial administration of federal labor laws while faced with a hostile, Republican Congress. He describes his difficult confirmation process and wrenching Congressional hearings, particularly the one over Proposition 226, a ballot initiative that required unions to get explicit authorization from all represented workers prior to expending dues for political purposes. He tells how the behavior of both Board members and members of Congress, guided by self-interest and rigid ideology, contributed to the Board's problems. He also recounts the positive strides the NLRB made during his tenure, despite the turmoil. The book provides an insider's view of what goes on behind the closed doors in our nation's capital, including discussions with members of Congress, the White House, and President Bill Clinton.

Author Biography

William B. Gould IV is the Charles A. Beardsley Professor of Law at Stanford Law School

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Introduction	xvii
The Philosophical Underpinnings	1	(12)
A Harbinger of Hard Times	13	(20)
The Confirmation Process	33	(18)
First-Year Policies and Initiatives	51	(24)
First Attempts to Implement Reforms	75	(26)
Balls and Strikes	101	(20)
The Idea of Independence: The Headless Fourth Branch	121	(28)
The Coming Storm	149	(18)
Congress Instructs the NLRB	167	(28)
``The Clamor of Legislators''	195	(30)
``The Lights Will Not Go Off''	225	(30)
The House Republicans' ``Number 1 Enemy''	255	(32)
``The Dilatory Virus''	287	(20)
Notes	307	(118)
Appendixes
A Statement of William B. Gould IV at His Confirmation	327	(2)
B The National Labor Relations Board Today	329	(5)
C This Generation's Reconciliation	334	(10)
D The Last Chairman of the NLRB? The Law and Politics of Labor Policy in the First Hundred Days	344	(7)
E Tribute to Jack Sheinkman	351	(2)
F Baseball and the Sultan of Swat: The Curse of the Bambino	353	(9)
G A Tale of Two Centrist Countries: Taft-Hartley, the Thatcher Reforms 1997, and All That	362	(9)
H The President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service Presented to William R. Stewart	371	(5)
I Campaign Finance Reform and the Union Dues Dispute under Beck	376	(10)
J Proposition 226: Political Contributions by Employees, Union Members and Foreign Entities	386	(11)
K Labor, Civil Rights and the Rule of Law: Reflections of the NLRB Chairman	397	(7)
L Resignation Letter	404	(2)
M Letter from President William J. Clinton	406	(1)
N Glossary of Cases	407	(15)
O Board Members and General Counsels of the National Labor Relations Board, 1981-1999	422	(3)
Index	425