Vermont Labor Relations Board faces critical staffing shortages

The Vermont Labor Relations Board is currently operating without a full complement of members, having been short by a third for several months and lacking its full six-member strength for nearly two years. The board is responsible for resolving disputes between workers and managers, overseeing union elections, and investigating unfair labor practices.

Labor leaders, including Jeff Fannon of the Vermont NEA, have criticized the administration of Governor Phil Scott, suggesting the staffing shortage indicates a lack of priority for union safeguards. While the Governor’s office maintains that progress is being made to fill the vacancies, the board's executive director, Judith Dillon, noted that the number of filed cases has increased even as the panel's ranks have thinned, rising from 48 cases in 2024 to 62 in 2025.

The vacancy issue comes during a period of high-profile legal tension. The board recently issued an order rescinding Governor Scott’s directive requiring state employees to return to in-person work three days a week. This decision, which the Governor characterized as biased, is currently under review by the Vermont Supreme Court.