Petitions for union elections rose 3% in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the National Labor Relations Board reported, a much smaller increase than the 53% jump reported one year earlier.

But labor attorneys say labor-friendly moves by the Democrat-controlled NLRB in the just-completed fiscal year has laid the groundwork for a big spike in activity in fiscal 2024. Most notable were rules adopted in August that give workers a path to unionize without having to vote.