On June 22, 2011, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if finalized, would significantly change the union representation election process. According to a Board "Fact Sheet," the changes are designed to "reduce unnecessary litigation, streamline pre- and post-election procedures and facilitate the use of electronic communication and document filing." But the lone Republican Board Member, Brian E. Hayes, in a stinging dissent, seems to have more accurately characterized the proposed rule change as an "administrative fiat" which will "impose organized labor's much sought-after 'quickie election' option, a procedure under which elections will be held in 10 to 21 days from the filing of the petition." Hayes further described the proposal as an effort "to eviscerate an employer's legitimate opportunity to express its views about collective bargaining."

The time between the date the petition is filed and the date of the election is critical for employers, because it is often the only time the employer will have to express its views regarding unionization. Often an organizing effort may have been ongoing for weeks or months without the employer's knowledge, and the employer only learns of the campaign when the election petition is filed with the Board. This means that the employees are only getting one side of the story, the union's side, prior to the filing of the petition. A shorter time between the filing of the petition and the election date will deprive employers of the time necessary to fairly present both sides of the representation question to employees.