NLRB Drops Its Bogus BS Case Against Boeing Plant In SC

Finally, although with much humphing and grumphing in order to save face.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Labor Relations Board on Friday officially dropped its high-profile case challenging Boeing's decision to open a nonunion aircraft manufacturing plant in South Carolina.

The board acted after the Machinists union approved a 4-year contract extension with Boeing earlier this week and agreed to withdraw its charge that the company violated federal labor laws.
Lafe Solomon, the board's acting general counsel, said he had always preferreOrd a settlement. The agency settles about 90 percent of its cases.

Under the deal, Boeing promised to build the new version of its 737 airplane in Washington state. The Machinists also agreed to drop allegations that Boeing opened the South Carolina plant in retaliation for past union strikes.

Both Solomon and the agency had come under intense criticism from Republican lawmakers and South Carolina officials for bringing the case. Republicans and business groups claimed the agency was setting a dangerous precedent by interfering with a legitimate business decision about where to locate workers.

But Solomon said he was simply following the law and might do it again if faced with similar facts.

Or, alternatively, The NLRB and the Obama Administration were caught in the act of extorting Boeing, and decided, with 2012 on the horizon, that they might not wish to have this particular outrage linger into the New Year.

In any case, congrats to Boeing and South Carolina. In 2013, it will be time to put the NLRB on the list of 'agencies consigned to Oblivion'.

Run, Alvin, Run!

Undaunted by his loss in the Senate race this November, South Carolina's Alvin Greene has filed to run for a newly-open House seat.

After all, he garnered 350,000 votes in the November race. There's a lot of love out there for the young man. And, just imagine the sort of contribution he could make for the Democrat caucus in D.C.!

Dream big, young man. Greatness awaits.