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Labor Relations / Unions

Government employees’ union treasurer admits to theft

04/01/2008
Brad Richard Harper, former treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1629 in Battle Creek, will serve 14 months in prison and pay more than $75,000 in restitution for making false statements in union financial reports …

Do nonunion employees have right to representation during disciplinary meetings?

04/01/2008
Q. I am working with my supervisory staff on how to deal with a difficult employee. He insists he has the right to be represented when his supervisor wants to discuss a performance problem. He recently asked to have another employee come with him for a meeting with his supervisor regarding his poor attendance. We are a nonunion company. Any suggestions? …

OSHA’s visit to Imperial Sugar too late, unions say

04/01/2008
OSHA has announced it will conduct combustible dust inspections at thousands of U.S. factories in the wake of an explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth that left 12 workers dead and dozens badly injured. A preliminary investigation revealed the Feb. 7 blast was caused by airborne sugar dust in a basement area …

Seniority puts Delta, Northwest airline merger in holding pattern

04/01/2008
A potential merger of Delta and Northwest airlines is on hold while pilots try to work out a seniority agreement. The proposed merger is complicated by the fact that Atlanta-based Delta has a younger work force than Northwest, which is based in Eagan, Minn. …

Beware anti-Labor comments if taking over unionized operation

04/01/2008
When W&M Properties took over management of an office complex, it immediately set about changing the staffing model under which building engineers would work. Managers began interviewing the seven incumbent engineers for positions under the new structure as well as outside, nonunion candidates. At some point during the interviews, a hiring manager let it be known that the company did not want a unionized work force …

Former Trop owner fined for business problems, while union vote is overturned

04/01/2008
Columbia Sussex, former owner of the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, asked for an extension to pay a state-imposed fine of $750,000 until the property is sold. Meanwhile, an NLRB administrative law judge overturned an October 2007 election in which Tropicana security workers rejected union representation …

NLRB decision puts work-Preservation provisions in question

04/01/2008
Developers and general contractors, beware: The National Labor Relations Board has signaled it will take a closer look at work-preservation clauses. Work-preservation clauses typically limit subcontracting on construction projects to those companies that have signed on to a project labor agreement (PLA) …

Staff sour on union? Let NLRB handle decertification vote

04/01/2008
Sometimes, employees learn that having union representation might not be as good a deal as they initially thought. If that’s the case, you may find that some employees approach management about the possibility of ousting the union. Before you jump for joy, think carefully about how to go about becoming a nonunion workplace again …

AAM strike rocks GM operations across North America

04/01/2008
A strike by workers at five American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings (AAM) plants in Michigan and New York led to temporary closures at more than a dozen General Motors (GM) plants in February and March …

From singles to prayer groups: Legal risks of affinity clubs

04/01/2008
Veterans … gays … singles … Christians … new employees. For years, employees with common interests or characteristics have been banding together in lunch or after-work groups—typically with their employers’ blessing and support. These so-called affinity or support groups are a natural extension of workplace diversity. Now, however, more employers are realizing the potential risks of supporting these groups …