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Labor Relations / Unions

Are we allowed to do anything that limits political expression at work?

10/10/2008

Q. Some union employees are wearing buttons and T-shirts as well as posting signs advocating presidential candidates. At first it was not bothering anyone, but now it has gotten out of hand. Is there anything I can do to prevent employees from exhibiting their political views in the workplace? …

What happens when union and employer disagree over what the arbitrator meant?

10/10/2008

Q. Our company has a union, and we recently lost a case in arbitration. The company and the union disagree on what the arbitrator held, and what is required of the company because of the award. The union is threatening to file unfair labor practice charges if we don’t implement the award as they interpret it. What do we do now? …

Mall management interfering with union drive, workers say

10/08/2008

A group of contract janitors at Park Meadows Mall in Littleton, Colo., walked off the job in September to protest unfair labor practices by the Millard Group, which provides cleaning services to malls owned by General Growth Properties (GGP) of Chicago …

Muslim workers at JBS Swift walk out over prayer breaks

10/07/2008

More than 200 Muslim workers walked out of the Greeley plant of meat processor JBS Swift & Co. in September to protest the company’s refusal to allow prayer breaks at sunset, a required ritual during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. More than 100 were fired for walking off the job and not returning …

Mall management interfering with union drive, workers say

10/07/2008

A group of contract janitors at Park Meadows Mall in Littleton walked off the job in September to protest unfair labor practices by the Millard Group, which provides cleaning services to malls owned by General Growth Properties (GGP) …

Nov. 4 ballot initiatives may change Colorado employment law

10/07/2008

November’s election has special implications for Colorado employers because a number of ballot issues involve employment law. The ballot features dueling initiatives: four measures brought by organized labor in response to three measures sponsored by business interests …

Work rules can regulate some employee political advocacy

10/06/2008

On July 22, 2008, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Office of the General Counsel issued a guidance memorandum addressing unfair labor practice (ULP) charges involving political advocacy. The impetus for the general counsel’s memorandum stemmed from a series of ULP charges filed in late 2006 involving employers that allegedly disciplined employees for participating in nationwide and local demonstrations …

Understand New York’s new WARN Act—it’s tougher than federal law

10/01/2008

New amendments to the New York Labor Law now mean New York employers face tougher layoff notification requirements under state law than they do under federal law. The NYWARN Act, which takes effect Feb. 1, 2009, imposes requirements in addition to those mandated by the federal WARN Act …

Employer wins battle to withdraw recognition of struggling union

09/26/2008

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction in North Carolina, recently ruled that an employer could withdraw recognition of a union if it can present “substantial objective evidence” that most employees no longer support the union. The decision gives employers a road map for handling situations where a union has lost the backing of the employees …

State looks to boost pension fund with hedge fund investments

09/22/2008

The New Jersey Department of the Treasury has received court approval to invest $9 billion of the state’s public employee pension fund in alternative investments, including hedge funds, in an attempt to improve performance in a sluggish market.