Zoom In/Zoom Out: All eyes on NLRB

There’s always a lot going on in Washington. Often, there is a clear “lead story” of the day that’s dominating the headlines and TV news rundowns. In this recurring post, I’ll Zoom In on something that deserves more attention, and Zoom Out from the headlines to look at the bigger picture. — Jared

ZOOM IN: Protecting the National Labor Relations Board and its ability to defend workers’ rights

You may have missed this in the news, but the judicial branch handed an important victory for workers’ rights earlier this month, when it demanded the reinstatement of National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox.

The president fired Wilcox in January, denying the board the quorum it needs to enforce labor laws.

I’ve been pushing for the reinstatement of Wilcox since I joined more than 260 of my colleagues in the House and Senate in February to object to her firing. The reason is that the NLRB is essential to guaranteeing workers’ rights like the right to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. Congress created the NLRB nearly 90 years ago as an independent, nonpartisan federal agency. Hamstringing its enforcement of existing laws will only enrich large corporations at the expense of working people.

Wilcox’s reinstatement is good news, but those of us who believe in workers’ rights cannot take our eyes off the NLRB: Just this week, news broke that President Trump has nominated Crystal Carey as the Board’s General Counsel. In normal times that’s not a high-profile federal position, but it’s a powerful one, whose holder plays a central role in labor policy.

Confirming Carey would be bad for workers: She has for years worked to help corporations like Amazon and Apple bust unions. The law firm where she is a partner has also been at the forefront of efforts to overturn the National Labor Relations Act — the very law that enshrines collective organizing and bargaining rights in our country. Carey’s nomination is opposed by unions and others invested in rebuilding the middle class through organized labor.

President Trump at times has indicated a willingness to support unions in a way that would break with his party’s record. His moves to tilt the scales of the NLRB in corporations’ favor tell a different story.

Unions built our country’s middle class and will be integral to strengthening it in the future. I’ll fight any effort to undermine the NLRB or workers’ rights — no matter who they come from.

ZOOM OUT: Quiet or loud, it’s the work that matters

Elected officials have two main responsibilities: First, and in my view most important, is representing our constituents and, through our actions, delivering for them. We do that with the bills we introduce, the votes we take, and the constituent services we provide. Second, we must be accessible and transparent, communicating what we’re doing on behalf of the people who choose us to represent them. This is an important aspect of the job because ultimately, our constituents need it to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

But these two core responsibilities can be in tension. Sometimes, the best way to represent and deliver is to work quietly, and not seek the spotlight until the work is done.

In the past few months, my staff and I have been working on dozens of cases in which federal grants that benefit Mainers have been thrown into chaos by President Trump’s executive orders or Elon Musk’s efforts at DOGE. In most cases, these Mainers are unclear whether or how executive directives will affect them or their funding.

We are working directly with those organizations and agencies affected by the chaos at the top of our government — seeking answers and clarification and, when necessary, fighting to ensure Mainers get the resources they are owed. For reasons of both confidentiality and efficacy, we don’t often trumpet this work loudly, but we’ve had some victories already — including the Maine Sea Grant and resolving funding concerns for Mainers who support public transportation, health care, farmers and rural energy projects.

We continue to advocate for state organizations with federal agencies, and I encourage all Mainers who are or may be affected by executive disruption to get in touch with my office. We’ll do all we can to help by focusing on results.

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