Unionization Votes at Private Colleges Could Be Streamlined

The National Labor Relations Board voted, 2 to 1, today to tentatively approve changes in union election rules that would make it easier for private-college employees to unionize. As described by The Hill newspaper and on the board’s Web site, the rule changes, which are still subject to a final board vote, would limit the scope of hearings on the legality of planned union elections and postpone any appeals of the board’s ruling until after the elections are held. The board put off acting on other proposed rule changes intended to speed up the election process and give union organizers easier access to information on workers.