Gallego Celebrates Phoenix NLRB Office Staying Open

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) celebrated a recent announcement that the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) Phoenix office will remain open, saying, "The NLRB plays a vital role in protecting workers' rights across the country."

As Cactus Politics covered near the end of May, General Services Administration (GSA) Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian announced the Phoenix NLRB office would cancel its leasing contract.

Sen. Gallego, together with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), spearheaded a letter urging against the decision, as 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," the Arizona Senators said in their 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."

But with the decision now reversed, they have reason to celebrate.

"The NLRB plays a vital role in protecting workers' rights across the country. Closing the Region 28 office would have cut workers in Arizona off from the advocates and experts best equipped to fight for them," said Gallego in his press release, adding, "Thankfully, we fought back, and now the Region 28 office will remain open."

Similarly, Sen. Kelly said, "I grew up in a union household, so I know how much it matters when workers have someone in their corner. This is a win for protecting the rights of thousands of workers across our region. I'll keep working to make sure federal agencies show up for Arizona workers."