Sen. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.) will back Senate Republicans’ filibuster of President Obama’s nominee to the National Labor Relations Board, Craig Becker:

The move is likely to infuriate labor groups who have fought hard for Craig Becker’s nomination to serve on the five-member NLRB – and will likely give Republicans enough support to sustain a filibuster Tuesday.
“Mr. Becker’s previous statements strongly indicate that he would take an aggressive personal agenda to the NLRB, and that he would pursue a personal agenda there, rather than that of the administration,” Nelson said in a statement. “This is of great concern, considering that the board’s main responsibility is to resolve labor disputes with an even and impartial hand.”

Becker is odious to any one with hopes for the NLRB’s independence from union interests, for the reasons summarized by Kevin Williamson here:

Becker, a lawyer for the AFL-CIO and SEIU, in many ways fits the mold of a typical Democratic pick for the agency, but there are three reasons to have serious reservations about putting him in such a powerful position. First: His opinions are extreme. He has argued that workers should be allowed to choose only between unions, not between a union and no representation, and he wants employers to be banned from even attending NLRB hearings about union elections. On the subject of the NLRB itself, he has gone so far as to write that “employers should have no right to be heard in either a representation case or an unfair labor practice case, even though Board rulings might indirectly affect their duty to bargain.” In other words: “Shut up.” Second: He is affiliated with ACORN, a corrupt enterprise that works the intersection of Big Labor and politics for its own benefit. Third: He has lied to Congress about his relationship with ACORN. On all of those grounds, his nomination should be opposed, vigorously.

UPDATE: Will Harry Reid allow a recess appointment to install Becker? Maybe. There was much chatter about the possibility before Senator Shelby (R., Ala.) withdrew most of his blanket holds on nearly 70 of Obama’s appointees.

Reid, a one-time avowed opponent on the recess appointment who called it “an end run around the Senate and the Constitution” and kept the Senate chamber open during breaks to prevent George W. Bush from making them, said last week that he’s “tried hard” to avoid the need for President Obama to make recess appointments, but he added: “What alternative do we have?”

Obama would have a crack and slipping Becker in during the upcoming Presidents Day recess, something big labor seems to support:

Some are urging Obama to install some of his nominees during the Presidents Day recess the week of Feb. 15. On the top of the list: Craig Becker, Obama’s controversial, labor-backed nominee for the National Labor Relations Board.
. . .
“They can’t let the minority party call the shots when it comes to the handling of critical nominations,” Bill Samuel, legislative director of the powerful AFL-CIO, said, calling on Obama to consider recess appointing Becker if his nomination stalls.

But as of this posting, Senate Democrats still plan to hold a cloture vote on Becker around 5:00 P.M. Tuesday.

UPDATE II: If genuine, this email from an SEIU legislative consultant to Senate Democrats (politely reminding them of scheduled votes and committee sessions they should attend) confirms that securing Becker’s appointment is “a top priority for organized labor.”