Two associations with ties to the woodworking industry, the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA), have come out in support of a ruling on May 7, 2013 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C.) Circuit. The ruling overturns a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule requiring nearly six million employers to post a notice regarding the right of employees to unionize.

"NLBMDA agrees with the court's ruling that the NLRB does not have the authority to issue the poster requirement," said Michael O'Brien, NLBMDA President and CEO, in a statement. "The decision by the D.C. Circuit Court is welcome news and hopefully will help the NLRB strike a better balance between the rights of employers and employees."

KCMA said in a press release that it supported efforts by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) to nullify the ruling, stating that "the decision was hailed as a clear message to NLRB to abide by the law and operate within its legal authority."  

The court decision stated that the NLRB did not have the authority under the National Labor Relations Act to issue the poster rule. The D.C. Circuit Court previously issued an injunction against the rule before it was to take effect. The injunction prohibited the NLRB from requiring employers to comply with the regulation while the court considered the appeal of a lower court decision upholding the rule.

The decision could still be appealed by the Obama Administration.