On Wed., Dec. 14, President Obama nominated two Democrats, Sharon Block, currently the secretary for congressional affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, and Richard Griffin, currently General Counsel for the International Union of Operating Engineers, to Board Member positions with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). A third nominee, Republican Terence Flynn, currently Chief Counsel to NLRB Board Member Brian Hayes, was nominated on Jan. 5, 2011, but has yet to be voted upon by the Senate.

At the moment, there are two vacancies on the five member board, with a third vacancy to be created at the end of the year when the recess appointment of Democratic Board Member Craig Becker expires. With only two members on the Board as of the beginning of the year, the Board will not have the sufficient number (three) required to decide cases and make new rules.