The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) this week published a proposed rulemaking that will revamp the agency rules regarding union representation elections. The first proposed rulemaking in an expected series of changes will reshape the current “blocking charge” which allows unions to stop decertification votes by alleging election interference. Under the NLRB proposal, decertification votes would proceed – even in the face of such allegations – but the ballots would be impounded pending the final resolution of the alleged interference charges. In addition, the proposed rule would amend the “voluntary recognition bar” which currently requires workers to wait at least 6 months before decertification petitions can be filed for unions that were voluntarily recognized by an employer as the exclusive bargaining agent. The final change deals with union recognition within the construction industry. Published in the Federal Register on Monday, the proposed rulemaking was passed by a vote of 3-1 with the sole democrat member voting in opposition. The proposed rulemaking is now subject to a 60-day public comment period and those interested in submitting comments may do so electronically at www.regulations.gov