NATIONAL — After a seven-month vacancy, on March 26, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed James Murphy as the chair of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Murphy was initially sworn in as a board member in January, but two months later, he replaced former Chairman Marvin Kaplan, whose term expired in August 2025. Murphy (R) joined Democratic Board Member David Prouty, who served as the sole NLRB member from August 2025 to January 2026, when Scott Mayer was sworn in following the U.S. Senate’s 53 to 43 congressional vote.
Murphy, now NLRB chairman, has worked with the organization for over 47 years, according to its website — previously serving in roles including student law clerk, counsel to various board members and most recently, chief counsel to his predecessor, former Chairman Marvin Kaplan.
“I am looking forward to working with my colleagues Member Prouty and Member Mayer, and all NLRB employees to protect and advance the rights of American workers,” Murphy said in an NLRB press release, March 27.
For 11 months of 2025, the NLRB — founded in 1935, is as an autonomous, federal agency with a mission to uphold workers’ rights to organize and avert any unfair labor practices from corporate employers or unions, according to its website — went without a quorum to conduct business, and it was not until Murphy and Mayer were sworn in on Jan. 7 that one was reached, as at least three members must serve for quorum achievement on this five-member board.
And while this board can now operate, what occurred throughout 2025 threatens to repeat as the NLRB maintains two vacancies, along with an August expiration date on Prouty’s term without a replacement nomination.
These vacancies remained after January 2025 when the President terminated the seat of former Chairwoman Gwynne Wilcox— the first Black woman to serve on the NLRB, who began as a board member, before she was appointed as chair in September 2023 by 46th U.S. President Joseph (Joe) Biden — whose term was not set to expire until August 2028, according to the Congressional Labor Caucus.
NLRB has not had a full-seated board since December 2022, when former Board Member John F. Ring’s term concluded without a successor.
Julia Williams — a Kansas City native — is a reporter and digital producer for The Labor Beacon. A University of Missouri School of Journalism alumna, she previously served as the editor-in-chief of The Northeast News before joining The Labor Beacon staff.
Williams’s grandfather was a Claycomo Ford Motor Company retiree and avid UAW Local 249 supporter, allowing her to understand the union difference from a young age.
In her free time, Williams enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to see her friends and hanging out at home with her cat, Greta. She loves a good cup of coffee, seeing local, live music and shopping secondhand. With a passion for storytelling, she hopes to bring her knowledge of journalistic integrity to the Kansas City union community — giving union and labor workers a voice, while holding people in powerful positions accountable.
