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Labor Relations / Unions

No more bonuses just for showing up on time

08/23/2011
The South Jersey Port Corporation, which operates shipping terminals on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, has heeded New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s call for fiscal austerity by taking a heretofore unusual step: It will no longer pay bonuses for not being late.

What are the details on the new, proposed NLRB union election rules?

08/11/2011
Q. We are a union shop. We’ve heard the NLRB has new rules about unions. What do they involve and what do they require us to do?

New DOL rule: Report agreements with your lawyer

08/05/2011
Business groups aren’t pleased with new U.S. Department of Labor proposed changes to the so-called “persuader” regulations under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. They say the changes will restrict access to legal counsel and make it easier for unions to organize.

Union, hospital settle case based on ‘dirty linen’ accusations

07/19/2011
Six years of litigation came to an end when the union UNITE HERE and Sutter Health settled charges of defamation, trade libel and intentional interference with prospective economic relations. Sutter Health had accused the union of sending postcards to potential patients calling into question the cleanliness of the hospital chain’s linens.

Locked-out Salinas hospital employees return to work

07/19/2011
More than 100 hospital workers have returned to work following a strike that prompted the Salinas Valley Me­morial Healthcare System (SVMHS) to lock them out for two days.

Employers can ask jury to decide when collective bargaining agreement was ratified

07/19/2011
A case that has made it up to the U.S. Supreme Court and back down to the trial court is now making its way up the legal ladder again. The 9th Circuit has ­issued a new decision, ruling that an em­­ployer that challenges a union’s claim that employees have ratified a collective bargaining agreement can make their case to a jury.

Brown nixes ‘card check’ union elections for farm workers

07/19/2011
Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have given farm workers the option of using a “card check” election instead of secret ballots to choose union representation. In his veto message, Brown said he “appreciates the frustrations” of farm workers who try to unionize. However, he said the bill would have required restructuring “California’s carefully crafted agricultural labor law.”

Mediation Board to review Delta union votes

07/13/2011

When nonunion Delta Airlines merged with unionized Northwest in 2010, it set the stage for unionization votes among all Delta workers. So far, the International Association of Machinists (IAM) is 0 for 3, having failed repeatedly to organize Delta baggage handlers, customer service representatives and stock clerks. The IAM appealed to the Na­tional Mediation Board, which has agreed to investigate the elections.

NLRB okays inflatable rat in protests at Brandon hospital

07/13/2011
The National Labor Relations Board has ruled the use of a 16-foot tall inflatable rat outside a hospital in Brandon does not violate the National Labor Relations Act, even though the hospital is not directly in conflict with the union. Unions have long used rats as symbols for businesses that oppose organized labor.

Check your web policies: NLRB looks at employee Facebook posts

07/13/2011
Facebook and other social net­working web sites are signifi­cantly changing the way people com­mu­ni­cate—and that communication isn’t always merely personal. Em­ployees sometimes post comments criticizing their jobs and employers. Tempting though it may be, think twice before punishing employees for online behavior that you think maligns your organization.