Schumer wants NLRB to reconsider Buffalo, Pittsburgh office consolidation

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has proposed a consolidation of its Buffalo and Pittsburgh regional offices, a move that would place upstate New York in the Pittsburgh office’s coverage area.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) wants the NLRB to reconsider that move, his office said in a news release distributed on Thursday.

The NLRB review of its needs followed the “recent departure” of a regional director in the Pittsburgh office, Schumer’s office said in the release. It concluded that consolidation of the Buffalo and Pittsburgh offices should be “the next step.”

Schumer offered several different reasons why he believes the proposal would “hurt” New York.

Such a move would downgrade the Buffalo office to a sub-regional office and move some services, including direct access to the regional director, to the Pittsburgh regional office, Schumer’s office said.

Under the proposal, the Pittsburgh regional office would serve as the primary office for western Pennsylvania, a portion of West Virginia, and upstate New York. The Buffalo regional office is currently the primary regional office for the entire state of New York, with the exception of the New York City metropolitan area.

Such a consolidation would lead to delays in investigations, decisions, enforcement, and elections, Schumer stipulated in the news release.

It would also “likely diminish” the resources available to labor and management in New York; and would make it “difficult” for workers and businesses to participate in hearings, which would require out-of-state travel, the senator added.

Buffalo’s regional NLRB office plays a “crucial” role in resolving labor disputes across the state, Schumer contended in the release.

“Any proposal to shift key decision-making power to Pittsburgh does not sit well with me, and I am strongly urging the NLRB to reject this notion and affirm its intention to keep the regional Buffalo NLRB office as is. Stripping the Buffalo office of its current status would inconvenience workers and businesses all across the state and could lead to major case-load backups that would have a disastrous impact,” the senator said.

Having direct, in-person access to a regional director is “critically important” for labor and management across the state, particularly during emergency situations, Schumer’s office said. For example, the regional director files injunctions when necessary. At the same time, attorneys on both sides of any labor dispute would “likely” want to argue their case in person.

Having a regional director based solely at the Pittsburgh office would make it “harder” for unions and employers to access the regional director due to distance and the increasing caseload that “would occur” following the consolidation, Schumer contended.

The senator also argued that Buffalo has a “greater need” for a regional office than does Pittsburgh because Western New York has more union-represented, private employees.

About 14.5 percent of the private-sector employees in the Buffalo area have union representation and need the services, compared to only 7.5 percent of private-sector employees in the Pittsburgh area, according to data Schumer’s office provided.

Schumer has shared his concerns in a letter to Gaston Pearce, chairman of the National Labor Relations Board.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com