On February 2, 2018, a split three-member Board panel held that a prior election won by a union must be vacated and, accordingly, ordered a second election as it found merit to the employer’s objection arguing that the tardiness of the Board Agent conducting the election potentially disenfranchised a dispositive number of eligible voters.

In February 2017, employees at Bronx Lobster Place LLC voted in favor of unionization by a narrow margin of 14-12. There were 4 eligible voters that did not vote for unknown reasons but, significantly, the Board Agent running the election opened the second voting session 7 minutes after it was scheduled to begin. Notwithstanding the fact that none of the missing voters actually showed up during the Board Agent’s absence, the employer argued that this alone should be enough to set aside the election results. Indeed, the Regional Director, in adopting the Hearing Officer’s recommendation, relied on this fact – no eligible voters were actually prevented from voting due to the late opening of the polls – in certifying the election results.

But, contrary to the Regional Director and the lone dissenting (Democratic) Board member, the Board majority found that case law “rejects such an actual-disenfranchisement standard, in favor of a potential-disenfranchisement test.” Interestingly, one of the two Democratic Board members left on the panel from the Obama-era ruled in favor of undoing the election results and conducting a second election.

In the end, this Board decision reaffirms precedent dating back almost two decades by clearly articulating the applicable standard, and it is yet another example of a favorable decision for an employer under this new administration. This application is also consistent with frequent management-side requests for bright line rules that make it simpler for parties to operate under. Expect more of the same in the (somewhat) near future once the Board has a fully constituted five-member panel with a Republican majority. Stay tuned.