• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Labor Relations / Unions

Get legal advice when union tries to organize

10/13/2009

If you hear rumors that employees are talking about unionizing, call your attorney right away—and definitely before making any changes in the workplace. Otherwise, you may end up in court, fighting unfair labor practices charges.

Report blasts urban employers

10/01/2009

A controversial study of employment practices in the New York City region, Chicago and Los Angeles has found that employers routinely stiff low-paid workers, breaking wage-and-hour laws and illegally thwarting union organizing efforts.

Schwarzenegger vetoes farm worker card check election bill

09/21/2009

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a bill that would have created a card check election process for farm workers seeking union representation. S.B. 789, which was introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, is similar to bills the governor also vetoed in 2007 and 2008.

Chicago investment guru ‘stripped’ of $50 million

09/11/2009

The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a $50 million judgment against Chicago investment advisor John Orecchio for using money from six union pensions for his own private business interests. According to the SEC, Orecchio used pension assets to pay for private jet travel, Super Bowl tickets, construction at his Michigan horse farm and renovations to a Detroit strip club he owns.

Unionized workforce? There are some advantages

09/08/2009

Most employers want to stay union-free for obvious reasons, such as retaining direct control over wages and benefits. But it’s not all downside to have a union represent your employees; there are some advantages. One is that troublesome employees end up bugging their union reps about work problems instead of management.

Is it too late to call for a union election?

09/08/2009

Q. Someone from outside our company approached our HR vice president wishing to discuss a “personnel matter.” During the meeting, he presented the vice president with a set of union authorization cards signed by over half of the company’s employees. As the vice president flipped through the authorization cards, the individual stated that he is a union business agent and that his union represents a majority of an appropriate bargaining unit at the company. Are our employees entitled to an election to determine if they will be represented by the union?

EFCA compromise gains momentum in Congress

09/04/2009

Congress will be taking a fresh look at the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) this fall, now that a Capitol Hill compromise has stripped out the bill’s controversial “card check” provision, which would have required union certification with a majority of employee signatures.

EFCA compromise gains momentum in Congress

09/02/2009

Congress will be taking a fresh look at the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) this fall, now that a Capitol Hill compromise has stripped out the bill’s controversial “card check” provision, which would have required union certification with a majority of employee signatures.

No joint employer liability under ERISA

08/26/2009

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires employers to follow the terms of their collective bargaining agreements when they contribute to employee benefit plans. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to extend the concept of “joint employer” to ERISA’s collective bargaining agreement provision when the second entity has not signed that agreement.

California Supreme Court limits wage-and-hour litigation

08/26/2009

Here’s a bit of good news from the Supreme Court of California: The court has ruled that labor unions can’t intercede for union members to sue employers for missed meal and rest breaks under the state’s unfair competition law or the private attorney general statute.