Labor Relations / Unions

Payback: Courts strike at NLRB … and the NLRB strikes right back

04/03/2013

The NLRB has been stung several times in recent months, but continues to sting back. First, a federal appeals court ruled that several board members had been illegally appointed. Then an NLRB decision favoring striking health care workers was overturned. Regaining its footing, the NLRB decided to punish a nonunion employer for discouraging unionization in its handbook.

Long Island caterer ordered to serve up audited financials

04/03/2013

The NLRB has ordered a Plainview catering and food-service company to hand over reams of financial information to the United Food and Commercial Workers union to use in contract negotiations.

The NLRB wants the Supreme Court’s blessing

04/01/2013

The National Labor Relations Board in March announced it will appeal a lower court’s ruling that President Obama exceeded his constitutional authority when he made three recess appointments to the board.

Picket line comments don’t affect unemployment eligibility

03/29/2013

What striking workers say on the picket line is largely protected speech, even if it’s offensive. What’s said on the picket line is protected speech under federal law, not willful misconduct under Pennsylvania law.

NLRB sets date for new Kaiser Permanente election

03/20/2013

Forty-five thousand Kaiser Permanente employees in California will start receiving new union ballots April 5 following a National Labor Relations Board ruling that a 2010 election was invalid.

Percentage of union workers continues its long slide

03/15/2013

Unions represent an ever-shrinking slice of U.S. employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 11.3% of workers were unionized in 2012, down from 11.8% in 2011. In 1981, 20.1% of American workers belonged to a union. Several factors have contributed to the decline.

NLRB clarifies position on handbooks, at-will employment

02/28/2013

Late in 2012, the NLRB left many employers scratching their heads—and pulling their employee handbooks off the shelf. Until recently, the NLRB pretty much limited itself to dealing with labor unions and the right to organize, leaving employers alone as long as no union activity was involved. That’s all changed in the past year.

NLRB requires Oakland employer to release confidential docs

02/20/2013

In a potentially far-reaching decision, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled an employer must turn over confidential employee witness statements to a union as part of a grievance procedure.

Twin Cities concert halls silent as musician lockouts continue

02/20/2013

Minnesota’s quiet winter may become a silent spring if labor disputes continue for two of the state’s premier orchestras. Management teams at both the Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra have locked out musicians after the parties failed to agree on new contracts.

Appeals court rules Obama’s NLRB appointments were illegal

01/25/2013

In a decision that could invalidate more than a year’s worth of National Labor Relations Board rulings, a federal appeals court said President Obama exceeded his constitutional authority when he made three recess appointments to the five-member board. If the Supreme Court upholds the verdict, hundreds of NLRB rulings will be tossed out.