Toward the end of AFL-CIO boss Richard Trumka’s long and boisterous keynote speech to AFL-CIO conventioneers, a familiar face was caught during one of the camera pans of the convention stage–that of controversial former National Labor Relations Board member Craig Becker.
In 2009, Barack Obama made history by nominating a little-known union lawyer to the NLRB. It was a historic move because, while other union lawyers have been NLRB members (for example, Wilma Liebman), it was the first time one was nominated directly from the union movement.
At the time, Craig Becker was an associate general counsel to both the SEIU and the 56-union federation AFL-CIO and had numerous conflicts of interest that, in addition to his radically pro-union views, stopped the Senate from confirming his nomination.
When Barack Obama recess appointed Becker in 2010, despite his conflicts of interest, Becker–along with his pro-union cohorts at the NLRB–promptly set about ruling on cases and promulgating rules that have reshaped labor relations in the U.S.
It is not surprising that Becker was seated behind Trumka during the AFL-CIO boss’ keynote address. In 2012, after leaving the NLRB, Becker resumed his role as a union lawyer for the AFL-CIO–this time as co-general counsel.
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“Truth isn’t mean. It’s truth.”
Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)
