Battista's five-year term expired in December on the heels of a string of rulings by the board's Republican majority favoring employers and rolling back worker and union rights. Bush has also nominated a management attorney who has never represented workers, Gerald Morales, for a vacant seat on the board. Both nominations will require Senate approval and face strong opposition. 

Among those blasting Bush for once again turning his back on workers was Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, who said:  "It's unbelievable that President Bush would renominate Mr. Battista to the board, after he led the most anti-worker, anti-labor, anti-union board in its history," Kennedy said.