Labor Relations / Unions

Supreme Court backs employers that suffer damages during union strikes

06/05/2023

In a near-unanimous 8-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled it won’t tolerate union misbehavior that damages employer property even when tensions run high.

Amazon delivery drivers in California are first to unionize

05/15/2023

Drivers who deliver Amazon packages in Southern California have voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. The union contract will bring driver wages to $30 per hour by September.

NLRB: Employers can’t ban racial justice discussions in the workplace

05/12/2023

If your organization is trying to diversify its workforce with a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative and operates in multiple states, you know how hard it is to do the right thing. Some states welcome your efforts. Others block certain training programs or some theories from being taught. Now the National Labor Relations Board has entered the fray.

Court to Tesla: Anti-union meetings OK, Musk’s tweets are illegal threats

04/24/2023

A federal appeals court has weighed in on what management can do to dissuade employees from voting to unionize. It said holding meetings to explain why the employer opposes the union is fine. However, instituting a workplace rule that says employees can’t talk to the media illegally infringes on worker rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Employees can tell it like it is (or isn’t)

04/06/2023

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a broad decision invalidating these non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements when offered in conjunction with severance pay in a union setting. Even offering a severance package contingent on employees signing these agreements is out of bounds, according to the decision.

NLRB okays secret workplace recordings

04/03/2023

Here’s a new worry for employers, thanks to the National Labor Relations Board: Your employees may be secretly recording conversations you have with them for later playback even if you have robust “no recording” rules in place.

Case of the Week: Apply your dress and grooming policies consistently

03/24/2023

You probably have a policy that spells out your dress and grooming rules, which may limit certain employee clothing choices that might offend customers, clients or co-workers. But how you enforce that rule may mean the difference between winning quick dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit or a big jury award against your organization.

What employers should (and should not) do when employees go on strike

03/16/2023

Labor strikes by employees were up a shocking 52% in 2022 as compared to 2021. Employee collective work stoppages are on the rise, and there is no indication of them abating any time soon. Do you know what to do if your employees walk off the job?

Think twice before closing down to stop union organizing

02/27/2023

Employers that fear the spread of union-organizing efforts might be tempted to shut down the location that first votes in favor of union representation. That strategy can backfire. The shutdown is sure to prompt employees to file unfair labor practices charges with the National Labor Relations Board, which is quite likely to order the employer to reopen.

First union formation at Microsoft is a lesson in employer/employee relations

01/06/2023

ZeniMax Workers United/Communication Workers of America is the first studio at Microsoft to secure union representation, and it’s the largest group of union-represented quality assurance testers at any U.S. game studio. That in itself has been making headlines since the news broke on Jan. 3. But perhaps just as notable is how Microsoft handled the situation.