Labor Relations / Unions

Labor on the rise: Review your solicitation & distribution rules

04/19/2010

Unions are stepping up their organizing activity, and smart employers are preparing by making sure their rules on solicitation, distribution and access to private property meet legal requirements. If you don’t have a “no solicitation/no distribution” policy, adopt one now. It can help regulate two types of conduct that unions depend on when trying to organize a workplace.

SEIU spearheads move to protest Jackson Health cuts

04/15/2010

Carrying signs that read, “Some cuts don’t heal,” Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1991 members along with an estimated 200 doctors and nurses in March protested proposed cuts to Miami-Dade County’s public health services.

With Obama’s appointments, a new course for NLRB?

04/13/2010

President Obama in late March announced the recess appointments of attorneys Craig Becker and Mark Gaston Pearce to fill two vacancies on the National Labor Relations Board. That broke a more than two-year-old NLRB logjam—and reignited worries that the board will now tilt heavily in favor of unions.

Albany nurses could benefit from Chicago settlement

04/07/2010

In a case with implications for Albany-area nurses, Illinois nurses have settled a lawsuit that claimed Chicago-area hospitals colluded to depress wages in violation of antitrust laws. Nurse Alliance, affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, has filed a similar suit against Albany-area hospitals.

Get legal help when negotiating union contract

04/02/2010

Drafting a collective-bargaining agreement isn’t a do-it-yourself project. You have to make sure that the language in the union contract does what you intend it to do. For that, you should consult an experienced labor-relations attorney.

Teamsters end strike, sign pact with Philly Produce Terminal

03/26/2010

Teamsters Local 529 has ended its strike against the Philadelphia Produce Terminal, the second largest such facility in the nation. The Teamsters will get a small wage increase and better health benefits.

Your 10-point checklist for ensuring an NLRA-compliant handbook

03/16/2010

There are many good reasons to regularly review your employee handbook. But here’s another good reason to review and update your policies: A poorly written or overly broad handbook could result in unfair labor practices charges from the National Labor Relations Board. That’s true even if your workforce isn’t unionized.

Regis CEO’s pre-emptive labor move may have been illegal

03/11/2010

Regis Corp., a national hair salon chain based in the Twin Cities, operates numerous outlets under Regis Salons, Cost Cutters, Supercuts, MasterCuts and other brands. CEO Paul Finkelstein was so concerned about the effects of the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, he decided to be proactive. But his actions may have violated the NLRA.

Congress’ employment law agenda: 7 key bills to watch closely

03/08/2010

Now that the Democrats have lost their 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, it will be that much more difficult for the Obama administration to make good on many of its pro-employee campaign promises. But this still could be a key year for Democratic plans to revamp our national employment laws. Here are seven key initiatives pending in Congress and what they could mean for your business if they become law.

New contract: Pay up, insurance costs down for AT&T employees

03/01/2010

The Communication Workers of America union has inked a new collective-bargaining agreement with AT&T, bringing 9% pay increases over three years to some 35,000 phone company employees in the Southeast.