Craig Becker

Becker spent nearly three decades representing the two goliaths of the union world, the SEIU and the AFL-CIO. He has also written pro-labor arguments as a law professor; he taught law at UCLA, Georgetown and the University of Chicago. Becker served on Obama's transition team in December 2008, and was nominated in April 2009.

But controversial opinions expressed in Becker's academic papers and his pro-labor record hindered his confirmation. In February 2010, a united GOP Senate minority, joined by Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), blocked a vote on Becker's nomination.

Prior to Obama's recess appointments of Becker and Mark Pearce (D), the five-member Board, which supervises union elections, investigates labor practices and issues rulings that interpret the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, had just two sitting members: Chairman Wilma Liebman (D) and Peter Schaumber (R).

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