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Labor Relations / Unions

Houston janitors OK contract that expands wages, insurance

01/01/2007

Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 5 recently voted in favor of a three-year collective-bargaining agreement that provides janitors in the Houston area with health benefits and a pay increase …

Advocates push for equal rights for illegal alien workers in N.J.

01/01/2007

The ACLU, AFL-CIO and other groups have filed a petition accusing the United States, New Jersey and several other state governments of human rights violations by refusing to grant equal rights to illegal immigrant workers …

Restaurant in Wayne accused of labor and wage violations

01/01/2007

Three former employees at a Chinese restaurant in Wayne filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging unfair labor practices …

Can you face legal risk for completing salary surveys?

12/01/2006
To set competitive salaries, you've probably filled out compensation surveys and maybe even managed such surveys yourself. But recent classaction lawsuits have led some HR professionals and business execs to rethink their participation in (or hosting of) such surveys.

Navigating the National Labor Relations Act

12/01/2006

Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935 largely as a way of raising depression-era wages. The law gives employees basic rights to participate in unions, bargain collectively about compensation/ work conditions and engage in other protected "concerted activities" …

Employees criticizing the firm? Where to draw the line

12/01/2006

Execs and supervisors may bristle at criticism from employees and instinctively want to punish offenders. But that apparent insubordination can sometimes be considered protected speech under federal or state law. Knowing what’s protected and what’s not is key …

Ban on ‘Union Yes’ Button Isn’t Free-Speech Violation

11/01/2006

Texas public employers have broad rights to prohibit certain kinds of speech in the workplace, but those rights aren’t unfettered …

NLRB ruling spells end of union eligibility for millions

11/01/2006

In recent years, unions have pushed to organize well-compensated professionals. In response, employers have argued that those professionals form part of the management team and, therefore, are not eligible for union representation. Last month, the employers’ view won out …

Fighting union elections: 6 do’s and don’ts

11/01/2006

To increase your chances of defeating a union drive while avoiding a National Labor Relations Act claim, heed these tips …

Call center staff belongs to same union as the callers

10/01/2006

Work/life professionals who staff the Workplace Options UnionSelect call center in Michigan have a special understanding of the unionized employees on the other end of the phone who are seeking help with child and elder care. Reason: They both belong to the same union …