The Biden administration created the White House Task Force on Worker Organization and Empowerment on April 26, 2021. The task force recently released a pro-union report with the overall goal of promoting worker organizing in both the public and private sectors. The Task Force stated its goal was to remove barriers to union organizing efforts.…
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual report last week showing a drop in union membership. Just 10.3% of wage earners chose to belong to a union in 2021. Union membership dropped by nearly a quarter of a million workers across all industries. The data is even more revealing when looking at the difference…
A new presidential administration means a new General Counsel (GC) for the National Labor Relations Board. The change at the NLRB brings new guidance and priorities for the board, including more NLRB injunctions. The GC issued new guidance that impacts employers’ rights during an organizing campaign or while engaged in collective bargaining. Section 10(j) of…
Hazardous Waste Company Trashes Union Organizing Attempt A California-based hazardous waste hauler and an Arizona-based waste hauler sent the Teamsters packing. Teamster Local 166 filed a single petition to represent drivers for the two companies jointly. The two companies perform very different services and the qualifications for drivers for the two companies is significantly different.…
The following is an article from an NLRA client and prominent business leader, Kyle Reagan. Kyle W. Reagan is chairman and chief executive officer of DECCO Inc., and an active member of the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire. The BIA, New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce, and is a past executive committee member…
Employees at a Massachusetts-based client of NLRA recently rejected the Teamsters by a comfortable margin. The company with three decades of expertise, is an industry leader in its field. It received all but three votes in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election. The NLRB certified the result of the election on May 4, 2021. The…
In an unsurprising move, the Biden administration announced the rollback of a Trump-era policy which will penalize businesses. Employers who violate the wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act may be liable for liquidated damages. Liquidated damages double the amount of the actual wage damages awarded. To avoid such costly fines, employers must examine…
As COVID-19 vaccines become increasingly available across the country, businesses are starting to bring their employees back into the office. With the influx of vaccines rolling in, many employers are considering whether to introduce a mandatory vaccine policy as a condition of returning to work or setup some sort of incentive program to encourage employee…
On January 29, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its Guidance to reflect developments in science, best practices, and standards regarding exposure and preventative practices in the workplace for COVID-19. OSHA’s new Guidance is likely prompted by President Biden’s Executive Order issued within 48 hours of his innauguration which directed the Labor department…
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) commands that an employer must bargain in good faith with a union. To this end, the employer must furnish all information relevant to the union’s bargaining obligations. Specifically, employers must provide information that pertains to bargaining unit employees’ terms and conditions of employment. How Much Can a Union Request?…