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Labor Relations / Unions

Big bad SEIU wolf turns out to be grandma

06/06/2008
It turns out the California Nurses Association (CNA) may have been exaggerating slightly when it accused members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) of stalking and harassment. The two unions are engaged in competing efforts to represent Ohio nurses … 

Colorado voters may have chance to weigh in on ‘Right to work’

06/03/2008
Over objections from the governor’s office, the lobbying group “A Better Colorado” has apparently submitted enough valid signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot to ban all-union workplaces in Colorado …

Don’t think federal laws always trump state claims

05/30/2008
A recent 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision makes one thing clear: Employees and their lawyers are always looking for novel ways to sue employers—and sometimes state law gives them additional ways to do just that …

NLRB issues guidelines for investigating union ‘Salting’ claims

05/30/2008
In February 2008, the National Labor Relations Board’s Office of General Counsel issued two guideline memoranda outlining the board’s rationale in two recent decisions concerning “union salting.” Salting is a strategy in which union supporters apply for employment in a nonunion workplace. The goal is to unionize that company’s work force …

OK to ban the use of your e-Mail system for union organizing

05/27/2008
Employers with unionized work forces, take note: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has made it more difficult for union organizers and members to use your e-mail system for union business—if you adopt the right electronic communications policies …

Unions achieve first membership gains in 25 years

05/22/2008
The U.S. labor movement has been taking backward strides for several decades. But a new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report says 12.1% of U.S. workers were union members last year, up from 12.0% in 2006 …

Tell supervisors: No threats following unfair labor charges

05/19/2008
It’s understandable that managers and supervisors might get angry if an employee filed unfair labor practice charges against them. But how they respond may mean the difference between a reasonable resolution of the underlying complaint and additional charges—for retaliation and intimidation …

Reality check: TV producers face overtime claims

05/16/2008
Several workers from popular reality television shows have filed wage-and-hour claims with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, according to the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) …

Fever breaks: As nurses’ union drive cools down, TRO is lifted

05/16/2008
An ongoing, acrimonious battle between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the California Nurses Association to organize nurses nationwide took a modest turn toward civility recently when a California court commissioner lifted a temporary restraining order that briefly muzzled SEIU officials …

Roskam seeks better tax credits as incentive to hire veterans

05/14/2008
U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, who represents Illinois’ 6th Congressional District west of Chicago, is spearheading efforts to make it easier for employers to get tax credits for hiring veterans of the war in Iraq …