Tag: John Ring

Trump Labor Posts Ring Stoker

Trump Finds Labor Posts for Ring & Stoker

After former National Labor Relations Board Chairman Philip Miscimarra announced he would not serve another term, two names emerged as potential replacements: John Ring and Mike Stoker. On January 12, 2018, President Trump officially indicated his intent to nominate both to federal labor roles.

As expected, John Ring is the pick to fill Miscimarra’s seat on the NLRB. Trump tapped Stoker to be the Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS).

John Ring

Republican attorney John Ring is a partner in Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP‘s Washington, D.C. office. He co-leads the firm’s labor/management relations practice and holds other firm administration positions. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Catholic University and his law degree from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law.

Ring is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and President of the Board of Directors of Friends of the National Zoo.

Impact on the NLRB

If confirmed, Ring will join Chairman Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel to give the NLRB a 3-2 Republican majority. With a brief period of Republican control under former Chairman Miscimarra at the end of 2017, the Board began reversing key Obama-era precedents. Unfinished business includes potential revisions to the NLRB’s “quickie election” rules implemented in 2014.

Mike Stoker

Mike Stoker is a Republican politician and attorney from California. His former roles include Chairman of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (1995-2001) and Deputy Secretary of State (2001-2002). He has also held chairman positions with the Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District, Santa Barbara Association of Governments, and Santa Barbara County Water Agency and Flood Control board and served on the Agricultural Advisory Board to the California Superintendent of Public Instruction and on the Southern California Hazardous Waste Management Board.

Stoker ran for the California State Assembly in 2010 and the State Senate in 2012.

He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

About the FMCS

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service was created in 1947. It is designed to be an independent agency whose mission is to preserve and promote labor-management peace and cooperation. It pursues this mission primarily through mediation and alternative collective bargaining processes.

Beyond Ring, Stoker

Few companies will ever know or care about the identities of John Ring and Mike Stoker. Yet the agencies the President Trump is entrusting to these men affect many workplaces.

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Marvin Kaplan New NLRB Chairman

Marvin Kaplan Named New NLRB Chairman

On December 21, 2017, President Trump named Marvin Kaplan Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. The new NLRB Chairman originally joined the Board in August. His term expires on August 27, 2020.

“The President’s announcement is an honor and privilege, and I look forward to serving as Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board.” Kaplan said. “I remain committed to working with my colleagues to achieve the important goal of issuing timely decisions that apply the National Labor Relations Act in a way that protects the rights of employees, employers, and labor organizations throughout the country.”

Current Composition of the NLRB

Fellow 2017 Trump appointee William Emanuel joins Kaplan as Republican members of the Labor Board.

Two holdover NLRB members from the Obama Administration, Mark Pearce and Lauren McFerran, are both Democrats.

Former Chairman Philip Miscimarra left the Board when his term expired on December 16, 2017. President Trump has not yet formally nominated someone to fill that seat. However, management-side labor attorney John Ring is believed to be the leading candidate, pending background checks.

Until Ring or another Republican joins the Board, the 2-2 party deadlock will likely prevent the NLRB from issuing any decisions on politically charged subjects. But, a series of actions by the Republican majority just before Miscimarra’s term expired predict additional policy changes once the Board regains full strength in 2018.

Meet the New NLRB Chairman

Before joining the NLRB, Marvin Kaplan was legal counsel to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Before that, he served as workforce policy counsel for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. He also served as counsel for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Office of Labor-Management Standards.

Kaplan received his B.S. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University. He earned his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Before starting his public service career, Kaplan worked briefly in private practice as an associate in the Kansas City law firm of McDowell Rice Smith & Buchanan.

 

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John Ring NLRB

Report: Attorney John Ring May Replace Miscimarra on NLRB

Current National Labor Relations Board Chairman Philip Miscimarra has announced he will not accept a new term when his expires in December. So, the search for his replacement is on. Bloomberg BNA is reporting that Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP partner John Ring is the leading candidate for this position.

Update 12/1/17: Bloomberg BNA is now reporting that Ring is the presumptive nominee, subject to background checks.

Current NLRB

Republican attorney Marvin Kaplan recently joined the Labor Board following Senate confirmation on August 2, 2017.

His appointment leaves one vacancy on the 5-member Board. President Trump has nominated management-side labor attorney William Emanuel to fill that vacancy. Emanuel is expected to be confirmed after the Senate’s August recess.

Current NLRB members, in addition to Chairman Miscimarra and Member Kaplan, are Democrats Mark Gaston Pearce and Lauren McFerran. Member Pearce’s and Member McFerran’s terms don’t expire until August 27, 2018 and December 16, 2019, respectively.

Impact of a Full NLRB

Assuming the Senate confirms Emanuel as the next NLRB member soon, Republicans will have a 3-2 majority until Miscimarra leaves. If not John Ring, his replacement will be another Republican. If there is a gap between Miscimarra’s departure and the confirmation of his replacement, it will forestall the anticipated shift in NLRB policy.

Although the NLRB can operate with 4 members, the 2-2 Republican-Democrat split will likely prevent the Board from deciding significant, disputed issues.

Once the NLRB does have 3 Republican members, we can expect a sea change in NLRB decisions. Many cases decided by the Obama Board featured Republican Board members in dissent. In addition, the NLRB representation election rules could be under review, as the Obama Board changed them to expedite elections, increasing the likelihood of union victory.

More About John Ring

Attorney John Ring is a partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and co-leader of the firm’s labor/management relations practice. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Catholic University and his law degree from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law.

Ring is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. He also currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of Friends of the National Zoo.