The National Labor Relations Board's new top leaders pledged improvements in productivity and quicker handling of cases.

At their swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C., NLRB Chairman John Truesdale and General Counsel Leonard R. Page said the full strength of the board with all five members and funding increases sought by the Clinton administration and provided by Congress are expected to contribute to the improvements.

Truesdale, who has been acting chairman for more than a year, said: "For the first time in years, we'll be able to hire additional staff and give more training. There are no real obstacles – nothing to hold us back from making an all-out attack on the backlog."

"This is our time to show by our performance how important it is for both labor and management that disputes be resolved in a timely manner," Truesdale said.

Page, who retired as general counsel of the United Auto Workers to take the recess appointment at the NLRB, agreed. "With a full board and a full budget, this next year should be very productive.

Page praised the NLRB staff for top-notch work despite tight budgets, declining numbers and increasing workload. "General counsels come and go, but the professional staff endures," he said.