Not a government sitenlrb.fyi is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the National Labor Relations Board or any government agency. The Board's own site is at nlrb.gov.

The five seats

A seat on the Board is not five years from the day you arrive. Each of the five has its own fixed expiry date, and a member appointed to fill a seat serves out what is left of that seat's term. The Board names them after the people who held them first.

This is why the Board's composition shifts a little every year rather than all at once: the dates are staggered so one term ends each year. It is also why a member can serve only a few months. They arrived late in somebody else's term.

The Smith seat

Term expires on August 27 of years ending in 6 and 1. Named for Edwin S. Smith, one of the first three members, sworn in on 27 August 1935.

Now held by David M. Prouty.

Held by	Party	From
David M. Prouty	Democrat	22 September 2021
Empty		28 August 2021
William J. Emanuel	Republican	26 September 2017
Empty		28 August 2016
Kent Y. Hirozawa	Democrat	5 August 2013
Empty		2 August 2013
Richard Griffin (r)	Democrat	9 January 2012
Empty		28 August 2011
Liebman	Democrat	17 December 2002
Empty		2 August 2002
Hurtgen (r)	Republican	31 August 2001
Empty		28 August 2001
Peter J. Hurtgen	Republican	14 November 1997
Higgins (r)	Republican	3 September 1996

The 14 most recent changes in this seat, of 37 the Board's chart records. An (r) after a name is the Board's own mark for a recess appointment.

The Madden seat

Term expires on August 27 of years ending in 5 and 0. Named for J. Warren Madden, the first chairman, sworn in the same day.

Now held by James R. Macy.

Held by	Party	From
James R. Macy	Republican	17 August 2026
Empty		28 August 2025
Marvin E. Kaplan	Republican	10 August 2017
Empty		28 August 2015
Johnson	Republican	17 December 2014
Harry I. Johnson, III	Republican	12 August 2013
Empty		25 July 2012
Terrence F. Flynn (r)	Republican	9 January 2012
Empty		28 August 2010
Schaumber (r)	Republican	31 August 2005
Empty		28 August 2005
Peter C. Schaumber	Republican	17 December 2002
Empty		23 November 2002
Michael J. Bartlett (r)	Republican	22 January 2002

The 14 most recent changes in this seat, of 43 the Board's chart records. An (r) after a name is the Board's own mark for a recess appointment.

The Carmody seat

Term expires on August 27 of years ending in 8 and 3. Named for John M. Carmody, the third of the first three.

Now held by Empty.

Held by	Party	From
Empty		28 January 2025
Wilcox	Democrat	11 September 2023
Empty		28 August 2023
Gwynne A. Wilcox	Democrat	4 August 2021
Empty		28 August 2018
Mark G. Pearce (r)	Democrat	7 April 2010
Empty		1 January 2008
Peter N. Kirsanow (r)	Republican	4 January 2006
Empty		9 December 2004
Ronald E. Meisburg (r)	Republican	12 January 2004
Empty		22 August 2003
R. Alexander Acosta	Republican	17 December 2002
Empty		23 November 2002
William B. Cowen (r)	Republican	22 January 2002

The 14 most recent changes in this seat, of 33 the Board's chart records. An (r) after a name is the Board's own mark for a recess appointment.

The Murdock seat

Term expires on December 16 of years ending in 7 and 2. Named for Abe Murdock, who filled one of the two seats Taft-Hartley added in 1947.

Now held by James R. Murphy.

Held by	Party	From
James R. Murphy	Republican	7 January 2026
Empty		17 December 2022
John F. Ring	Republican	16 April 2018
Empty		21 December 2017
Philip A. Miscimarra	Republican	7 August 2013
Empty		17 December 2012
Brian Hayes	Republican	22 June 2010
Empty		17 December 2007
Robert J. Battista	Republican	17 December 2002
Wilma B. Liebman	Democrat	14 November 1997
Empty		1 March 1997
Margaret A. Browning	Democrat	9 March 1994
Empty		4 March 1994
Truesdale (r)	Democrat	24 January 1994

The 14 most recent changes in this seat, of 29 the Board's chart records. An (r) after a name is the Board's own mark for a recess appointment.

The Gray seat

Term expires on December 16 of years ending in 9 and 4. Named for John H. Gray, who filled the other.

Now held by Scott A. Mayer.

Held by	Party	From
Scott A. Mayer	Republican	7 January 2026
Empty		17 December 2024
McFerran	Democrat	10 August 2020
Empty		17 December 2019
Lauren McFerran	Democrat	17 December 2014
Nancy J. Schiffer	Democrat	2 August 2013
Sharon Block (r)	Democrat	9 January 2012
Empty		3 January 2012
Craig Becker (r)	Democrat	7 April 2010
Empty		1 January 2008
Walsh (r)	Democrat	17 January 2006
Empty		17 December 2004
Walsh	Democrat	17 December 2002
Empty		21 December 2001

The 14 most recent changes in this seat, of 40 the Board's chart records. An (r) after a name is the Board's own mark for a recess appointment.

A fault in the Board's own chart The Board's table runs newest first, back to 27 August 1935. On the copy this site read, 3 rows sat below that 1935 row describing 2024 and 2025, and one of them claimed to run to the present while the top of the same table showed a different Board. They look like a block left behind when the chart was last updated. This site leaves them out of the pages above and records that it did, rather than deleting them quietly.

Where this comes from

The Board's own chart of Board composition since 1935, read on 19 September 2026. The seat names and the expiry sentences are the Board's own words.
The staggering: National Labor Relations Act, Section 3(a), codified at 29 U.S.C. § 153(a).

The Labor Board FYI is independent, and is not the Board or any government agency. Where a number here disagrees with the Board's, the Board is right: tell us at [email protected]. If a name here is a private person and not a business or a union, write to the same address and it comes off. Where this comes from.