Labor Relations / Unions

NLRB, EEOC confidentiality stance muddles investigations

08/26/2013

The NLRB and EEOC are actively enforcing the position that a blanket policy requiring confidentiality during investigations violates federal labor and employment law. That means employers must proceed carefully and thoughtfully when making confidentiality requests during investigations.

New Flyer signs new union pact with St. Cloud workers

08/20/2013

Bus manufacturer New Flyer has agreed to a new contract with unionized employees at its St. Cloud plant. The four-year agreement provides annual wage increases of 2.5% in the first two years, 2% in the third and 2.25% in the fourth year. The pact also freezes entry-level wages and increases the amount of time it takes new employees to max out on pay.

Austin settles with UAW local, ending drawn-out negotiation

08/20/2013

The city of Austin has settled a long-running labor dispute with its street, wastewater treatment, and parks and recreation workers represented by the United Auto Workers union. For three years, the two sides clashed over payday schedules, overtime and alleged salary structure inequities.

NLRB ruling shows risk of Facebook discipline

07/31/2013

The National Labor Relations Board last month ordered a New York City tour bus company to reinstate a tour guide that it fired for his anti-company Facebook posts. It said his postings were considered “protected concerted activity” that related to the employer’s working conditions.

NLRB nominees set for confirmation

07/26/2013

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on July 24 voted 13-9 to send President Obama’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) nominees to the floor for confirmation by the full Senate.

Perez confirmed as Labor Secretary

07/24/2013

The U.S. Senate on July 18 confirmed Thomas Perez to become the next Secretary of Labor. The 54-46 party-line vote followed a four-month standoff between the Senate Republicans and the White House during which Perez’s nomination languished, along with those of other Obama administration appointees awaiting confirmation.

Must contractors still display union poster?

07/17/2013

Q. I understand that the rule requiring private employers to post a notice about employees’ union rights is dead and won’t become law. I may be considered a federal contractor and there is a provision in my contract about posting a notice of union-related rights. Am I free to ignore that?

What are the pitfalls of ‘double-breasting’ to win nonunion contracts?

07/17/2013

Q. We are a construction contractor. We work union, but increasingly find ourselves losing bids because we can’t compete with nonunion companies in certain industry segments. Can we just set up a separate operation to bid the nonunion work? I’ve heard that such “double-breasting” is common practice.

NLRB orders reinstatement of Facebooking tour guide

07/09/2013

The NLRB has ordered a New York City tour bus company to reinstate a tour guide who was fired because of what he wrote on Facebook. The board ruled that his postings were protected activity under the National Labor Relations Act.

5 arrested in Philadelphia protest over ‘wage thefts’

07/05/2013

Five Philadelphia University security guards sat down in traffic to protest what they call wage theft by their employer, McGinn Security. The guards claim McGinn has failed to pay proper overtime and illegally requires officers to commute to company offices on their own time to complete citations.