White House proposes 'accelerated' skilled nursing facility payment cuts

Anti-unionization proponents are wincing at the recess appointments of two new members of the National Labor Relations Board. The pair are viewed as strong union supporters.

The board normally has five members; it spent most of 2011 with three. President Obama had three new nominees in all: Sharon Block, Richard Griffin and Terence Flynn. The trio was recess-appointed and began in January.

Block was the Labor Department’s deputy assistant secretary for congressional affairs. Griffin was the general counsel for the International Union of Operating Engineers. Terence F. Flynn, a Republican, was previously the chief counsel to current board member Brian Hayes and former NLRB member Peter Schaumber. The fifth member is NLRB chairman Mark G. Pearce.

During the Obama administration, long-term care groups have viewed the NLRB as a thorn in their side. Most recently, the NLRB, for example, decided in favor of the “microwave” rule, which opponents say will speed up union elections.