Management

Obama appoints new members to labor-management council

President Barack Obama has appointed four new members to the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations. Union leaders from the Teamsters, American ...

Federal News Network Staff

July 16, 2014 5:18 pm

< a min read

By Ariel Levin-Waldman
Special to Federal News Radio

Four new members join the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations this week. On Tuesday, President Barack Obama appointed J. David Cox, Michael B. Filler, H.T. Nguyen and David J. Holway as members of the council.

Cox is president of the American Federation of Government Employees, part of the AFL-CIO. Filler is director of public services at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Nguyen is executive director and general counsel of the Federal Education Association. Holway is president of the National Association of Government Employees.

Obama created the National Council through executive order in 2009. It was created to improve relations between labor unions and federal managers. Set to terminate two years later, the council was extended by executive order in 2011. Unions say the agency offers an opportunity for workers to be heard and best practices put forward, but the council has drawn fire from former George W. Bush appointee George Nesterczuk, who said letting unions influence policy presents a conflict of interest.

Bush discontinued a similar initiative that was started under Bill Clinton.

Ariel Levin-Waldman is an intern with Federal News Radio