Boeing's workers allege that the company retaliated against them for exercising their statutory right to go on strike and collectively bargain—what can the National Labor Relations Board do about it?

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently filed a complaint against Boeing for allegedly retaliating against its workers in Washington state for exercising their statutory right to go on strike and collectively bargain. Since then, right-wing pundits and politicians, outraged by the complaint, have attempted to undermine the NLRB’s authority. Jim DeMint, saying the NLRB “smacks of a Third World-type dictatorship,” is leading a pack of several Republicans in the Senate who have put forth a bill that would bar the NLRB from fulfilling its Congressional mandate to ensure a level playing field for workers and businesses. On this week’s edition of The Breakdown, labor law expert Catherine Fisk joins DC editor Chris Hayes to discuss the circumstances in the Boeing case and counter the persistent misinformation about what the NLRB is legally authorized to do to ensure fairness in the workplace.

Further Reading: Media Matters report on misinformation in the coverage of the Boeing case.

Subscribe to The Breakdown on iTunes to listen to fresh takes on the confusing concepts that make politics, economics and government tick. A new episode every week!