These are challenging days for all businesses as we are all forced to adjust to the new reality of a near-total shutdown of the entire economy. Covid-19 has stopped the economy cold, but the effects of Covid-19 on employers and their dealings with unions appears to be nil. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize the impact of adverse labor relations while still remaining focused on guiding your business during the crisis.
NLRB – Business As Usual
In a recent news release, The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared, “The Agency will continue operations and enforcing the National Labor Relations Act and is taking measures to keep its employees and the public safe.” As a result, companies that receive Representation Petitions or Unfair Labor Practice Charges must respond and take appropriate action to defend the business.
Schedule time by clicking directly into our Managing Partner’s calendar and scheduling a virtual consultation to get started!
Unions Are Taking Advantage
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste… It’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” – Rahm Emmanuel, former Mayor of Chicago and Chief of Staff to Barack Obama
NLRB filings by volume remain consistent with pre-Covid-19 Crisis levels. Moreover, the unions know businesses are struggling with the economic realities imposed by this crisis and are likely distracted securing the business. Unions are leveraging the crisis to remain one step ahead of you.
Companies Are Under Extreme Pressure
“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” – Former President John F. Kennedy
Danger
How will we pay our vendors? What will we do to keep our clients? How will we keep our workers? Likewise, what about the impact on our workers’ families? How will this business survive? How long do we have to make this work? After all that, now my workers want to vote in a union – now!?!
With questions regarding Covid-19 at the forefront of the minds of company leaders across the country, the last thing needed is the pressure of unionization. Businesses must currently find stability with both Covid-19 and Unionization if they want to succeed during this critical time.
We all know that failure is the opposite of success and failure is never an option.
Opportunity
The first thing every business leader must acknowledge is the simple fact that in every difficulty there exists an opportunity. In a crisis the ability to recognize the inherent opportunities often elude those consumed by the crisis. The challenge lies in how to recognize the opportunities when you are only focused on the danger.
In short, all business leaders must make themselves into optimists. Granted, Covid-19 is not your run of the mill business hurdle. It is enormous in size and scope. How can we ever manage?
The answer is simple: You invite others to help. Enlisting more people will help you conquer this uncertainty and set the business on the path of health. An extra set of eyes to see the opportunities, more brains to solve the problems, and more hands to get the work done ensures success.
You don’t need to be a hero. Delegate. Assign. Contract.
Reach out to us with any questions you may have. The conversation is always free. Schedule time by clicking directly into our Managing Partner’s calendar and scheduling a virtual consultation.
Read our 2nd blog in this series, Balancing Covid-19 + Labor Relations, to learn more.
