Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 8/23/11

Organizations representing poultry, beef and pork processing companies have filed comments with the National Labor Relations Board, protesting the agency's proposed changes to union election rules and procedure.

The proposed changes include significantly reducing the amount of time allowed for various procedures to occur, such as filing paperwork or notifying participants of upcoming elections or hearings. The NLRB notes that the ubiquitous nature of electronic communications, among other developments, makes it possible to operate under shortened deadlines. Existing rules require communications to occur via paper documents, the agency notes on its website.

The Joint Poultry Industry Human Resources council, which comprises the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation, strongly objected to the tighter timetables proposed in its comments filed this week, saying they are "unreasonable changes."

"The poultry industry comments identify more than two dozen issues with the proposed rule, many of which carry the 'unmistakable appearance of a denial of due process' and 'certainly will serve to increase litigation and delay timely elections rather than speed the election process,'" the group said in a news release about the comments.

The National Meat Association filed comments last week, saying, in part, "The effect of these regulations is both extremely predictable and very material to the discussion of its appropriateness. ... [A] proposed rule that ... deprives workers of the ability to make informed decisions about whether to vote for or against collective bargaining representation does not further the objectives of the National Labor Relations Act." 

 
Comments on the proposed changes are due Sept. 6, 2011 by midnight. They can be submitted at the Regulations.gov website.

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