Breaking, as they say, from Sam Stein: President Obama has renominated Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board, along with several other nominees that were returned by the Senate.

I reported last week that Becker’s nomination was returned by President John McCain, who was upset about Becker’s view that the NLRB should actually support workers who want to organize and join unions.

Now, in all likelihood, McCain will again slap a hold on Becker; the White House will then have a couple options.  It can negotiate with McCain for something else he wants; the HELP committee can hold a full hearing on Becker like McCain wants; Harry Reid can force a vote and get 60 senators to vote for Becker, which will end up being a proxy fight over the Employee Free Choice Act; or McCain’s icy heart will melt and allow Becker to go through.

In either case, as Becker’s nomination goes, so do the other 2 NLRB nominees, who must be voted on in a package with Becker.  Meanwhile, the 2-member NLRB will continue to make uncontroversial rulings on pending cases that may yet be ruled invalid by the Supreme Court.  And workers’ rights will continue to fall by the wayside.

Here’s hoping for a better 2010 for the NLRB.