Labor Relations / Unions

Union fights Wayne County over health care changes

11/20/2008

The AFSCME secured a court order to prevent Wayne County from changing its retiree health care benefits. A redesign proposed by the county would have tripled prescription drug co-pays for employees who retired under the 2000-2004 contract.

AFSCME files charges against Benton Harbor

11/20/2008

AFSCME Local 1433, the union representing employees of the city of Benton Harbor, has filed five unfair labor-practice charges with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.

Barista back as Starbucks settles NLRB complaint

11/12/2008

Erik Forman, a barista at a Minneapolis Starbucks who claimed he was fired in July for promoting a union drive, is pouring ventes again after the java giant settled a National Labor Relations Board complaint he filed.

New president, new Congress: 5 new employment laws could reshape HR

11/11/2008

When Barack Obama takes office in January, get ready for the most sweeping employment-law changes the HR world has seen in years. Attorney Mike Fox walks you through the legislation likely to reshape HR, possibly even in the first 100 days of the Obama administration. Here’s how to prepare.

Cleveland NASA building gets clean bill of health

11/10/2008

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a survey indicating that two buildings at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland did not cause cancer among employees. The union representing some NASA employees says it isn’t satisfied.

Employment law in the Obama administration: What to expect

11/06/2008

With a Democratic-controlled Congress, President-elect Barack Obama will likely push for these employment law priorities …

How will the election affect employment law?

10/23/2008

More than 60% of corporate counsels expect the election to have an impact on employment laws at their companies, according to a survey by The Association of Corporate Counsel.

Schwarzenegger vetoes card-check union voting for farm workers

10/20/2008

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a bill that would have allowed California farm workers to seek union representation using a card-check system that was opposed by the farming industry. Although the California Assembly and Senate passed the legislation after a summer of wrangling over details, Schwarzenegger spiked the bill …

Confidentiality provision may violate federal labor law

10/20/2008

A temporary employment agency violated federal labor law by including a confidentiality provision in an employment contract, according to a recent NLRB ruling (Northeastern Land Services, Ltd. dba The NLS Group and Jamison John Dupuy, 352 NLRB No. 89, 2008). In the case, the agency fired a worker for violating the confidentiality provision …

Moping: The next best thing to going on strike

10/14/2008

They’re not allowed to go on strike, but nothing in the Broward Teachers Union contract says they have to be chipper. Broward County teachers spent the summer bargaining for better raises. When negotiations stalled, they headed back to school in a sour mood …