Translation
Hans Nichols, Stephen Neukam
Senate Republicans defeated a last-minute effort by outgoing Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) to ensure a Democratic majority on the National Labor Relations Board for the first two years of Trump's presidency.
Why it matters: It was a dramatic and consequential defeat for Schumer and the labor movement.
Schumer gambled that he had the votes without knowing how Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) would vote on the nomination for Lauren McFerran.
Both voted "No" on a crucial procedural vote that would clear the way for confirmation.
Republicans had nearly perfect attendance on the roll call, with only Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), who has strong union ties, not voting.
Driving the news: Democrats thought they could install McFerran, the current chair, for another five-year term.
That would ensure Democrats had a 3-2 majority on the board, which helps referee disputes between employers of workers across the economy, from Amazon to Starbucks.
"It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes," Schumer said.
Zoom in: Schumer was under pressure from progressives to use valuable floor time to force a vote. But he never received firm assurances from either Manchin or Sinema how they would ultimately vote.
With Manchin apparently off-campus, Sinema was the first of the two to vote "No."
That left the vote tied at 49-49, with the possibility that Vice President Harris could break the tie, but then word began to circulate that Manchin was en route back to the Capitol.
Manchin arrived after the vote had been open for more than 90 minutes, and voted "No."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
https://www.axios.com/2024/12/11/schume ... hin-sinema
