AFL CIO Thanks McFerran for Pro Worker Leadership, Applauds Wilcox as Next Chair of the NLRB

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement as Lauren McFerran ended her term as chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Gwynne Wilcox was sworn in as the next leader:

On behalf of the nearly 13 million workers of the AFL-CIO, I thank Lauren McFerran for her leadership as chair of the NLRB; her expertise, integrity and decades of experience in labor law have been assets to all workers in our country. During her tenure as chair, she demonstrated a deep commitment to ensuring that every worker is treated fairly. Under McFerran's leadership, the NLRB withstood attempts by the biggest corporations and wealthiest bosses, from Starbucks and Amazon to SpaceX, to undermine its authority to protect working people.

We applaud the selection of Gwynne Wilcox to succeed McFerran as chair, who will provide continuity in the agency's pro-worker leadership. Wilcox served as associate general counsel to SEIU District 1199, the largest health care union in the country. As a field attorney in the NLRB's Region 2 office in New York City, Wilcox investigated and litigated charges of unfair labor practices against both unions and employers and ensured that union elections were conducted fairly. Since her confirmation as a member of the NLRB, Wilcox has proven to be a fair and thoughtful decision-maker, focused on the purpose of the National Labor Relations Act and its mission to ensure that workers have the freedom to organize and collectively bargain. She has been essential in advancing the work of the key government agency that protects workers' freedom to organize a union and collectively bargain. Wilcox made history when she was confirmed as the first Black woman ever to serve on the NLRB in its then 85-year history, and now she makes history again as chair.

Workers across the country continue to organize at historic rates; last year, 60 million Americanssaid they would join a union if they could. As we prepare for the fights ahead, working people can count on Wilcox's leadership at the NLRB to have their back when they exercise their fundamental freedom to organize.

Contact: Mia Jacobs, 202-637-5018