Top NLRB Lawyer Advocates Requesting Court Orders in Key Cases

The National Labor Relations Board’s top lawyer endorsed seeking federal court intervention in select unfair labor practice cases, backing the use of one of the agency’s most potent tools to protect workers’ labor law rights.

Acting General Counsel William Cowen emphasized in a memo to agency officials the importance of acting quickly in cases that present a heightened risk that an eventual ruling from the NLRB will come too late to remedy the harm from labor law violations, such as when union supporters are fired during active organizing campaigns.

“Expedited investigation and early collection of evidence regarding the impact of ...