Gallego, Kelly Demand Answers for Potential Labor Relations Office Lease Canceling

Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) spearheaded a recent letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian demanding answers on the potential cancellation of the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) Phoenix office.

The National Labor Relations Board enforces the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), protects employee rights, including unionization, and investigates violations of labor laws.

According to the Senators' letter, the Phoenix office received 1,200 requests for investigations and covers 16,000 workers, making the potential cancellation of the office's lease, and thus its closure, a disadvantage to workers under its jurisdiction.

"The office is vital for workers who seek to exercise their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to collectively join together to bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces," Sen. Gallego said in the letter, adding, "As we have seen with regard to DOGE's chaotic and ill-informed prior actions, lease cancelations sometimes lay the groundwork for future reductions in force. Both actions would have a devastating impact on the growing number of workers seeking to exercise their rights under the NLRA."

Sens. Gallego and Kelly further claimed that the NLRB's Phoenix office is "woefully understaffed given its mandate, only receiving a minor funding increase after 10 years of flat funding in 2022," and canceling the lease "would only further increase wait times for workers seeking to exercise their labor rights under the NLRA."

"With American families seeing prices for necessities increase, it is more important than ever to ensure Americans have the ability to exercise their labor rights as they fight collectively to earn good wages and quality benefits," the letter concluded.

The Arizona Senators previously wrote to Ehikian in March, demanding that the Phoenix Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office remain open in response to Ehikian's announcement that 2 million square feet of BIA office space would be closed as part of the Trump Administration's effort to improve government efficiency and maximize federal real estate.