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Labor Relations / Unions

Nonunion firms: Acquaint yourselves with labor-relations law

11/01/2003
Your organization isn’t unionized, so you shouldn’t care about the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), right?
Wrong! The NLRA applies to all employers, including nonunion ones. And the law’s impact …

Nonunion shops: You can be liable for ‘unfair labor practices’

10/01/2003
Before you lash out against workers who rise up against a pay issue or other working condition, stop yourself. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects employees’ rights to engage in …

You can’t outsource your WARN Act notice obligations

10/01/2003
If your company outsources HR tasks, don’t expect the outside provider to share the rap for a Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification (WARN) Act violation, the law that requires certain companies …

Unionized or not, beware of ‘unfair labor practices’

10/01/2003
Issue: Punishing workers for protesting work conditions could constitute “unfair labor practices”, even if your work force isn’t unionized.
Risk: Defending an NLRA claim …

Don’t change benefits without union’s knowledge.

08/01/2003
For more than 30 years, a company sponsored blood donation drives twice a year. Employees could participate during paid work time. But when the com-pany changed its policy, …

Comp-time reform bill dealt
major setback in Congress

07/01/2003
Legislators shelved a bill last month that would allow private-sector companies to offer compensatory time to employees in lieu of overtime pay, due in large part to intense protests from organized …

Require medical exams only for clear job reasons

06/01/2003
Demand that managers give higher-ups clearly articulated business reasons for any impromptu medical tests they want employees to take. Often, courts will see these …

Union ‘salts’ can shake your hiring policies.

06/01/2003
So-called ‘salts’ are pro-union applicants who try to win jobs in hopes of organizing a nonunion company. You can’t simply reject such applicants because of their …

Supreme Court upholds pro-union fund-raising tactic

02/01/2003
In a victory for unions, the Supreme Court recently let stand a lower court ruling that said employees can be forced to pay mandatory dues for union organizing that occurs …

Employees can refuse to work due to safety fears, even at nonunion site

01/01/2003
Three apartment maintenance workers refused to scrape and paint a water-damaged ceiling after they saw a TV report on airborne-asbestos health risks. When they voiced a concern, their supervisor said there …