President Trump has fired the union-friendly General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board Jennifer Abruzzo, along with NLRB Board Member Gwynne Wilcox.

With Abruzzo as General Counsel, the NLRB issued a number of decisions that protected workers and unions. 

It restored the “equality principle” that puts union stewards on equal footing with management, and reaffirmed workers’ rights to wear union insignia like buttons and t-shirts at work.

That NLRB also issued the landmark Cemex decision, which the Teamsters fought for and has become a key tool for protecting unionizing workers against union busting. 

The Teamsters have used Cemex to claim bargaining rights at Amazon at multiple locations. 

Under Abruzzo, the NLRB took on misclassification of independent contractors and banned coercive captive audience meetings by management.

Abruzzo was replaced with Acting General Counsel Jessica Rutter, but this is likely temporary until Trump nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement.

As for Wilcox, the immediate effect of her dismissal is that the NLRB will not be able to issue any decisions until Trump appoints a replacement. The removal of Wilcox brings the five-seat NLRB down to two members; the board needs a quorum of three members to issue decisions.