Labor Relations / Unions

Sugar lockout comes to sweet conclusion for employer

05/10/2013

The 20-month-long American Crystal Sugar lockout is finally over. In April, 55% of the members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 167G ratified a contract that closely resembles a deal they rejected on four previous votes.

AFL-CIO opposes banning deductions for PAC funding

05/01/2013

The Texas chapter of the AFL-CIO is opposing a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives that would criminalize payroll deductions for contributions to political action committees.

GOP may try blocking Obama NLRB nominees

04/29/2013

President Obama’s picks to fill vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board face stiff opposition from some Republican senators who continue to object to controversial “recess appointments” that occurred in 2012.

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.