Howard M. BloomBlog Posts
Fifth Circuit Pressed to Join Growing Court Rejection of NLRB’s D.R. Horton DecisionAs we previously reported in this Blog, one of the more expansionist – and controversial – NLRB decisions of 2012 was D.R. Horton, 357 NLRB No. 184, in which the Board held that employers may not require as a condition of employment that employees agree to a blanket waiver of rights to pursue their employment … Continue reading Fifth Circuit Pressed to Join Growing Court Rejection of NLRB’s D.R. Horton DecisionApril 8, 2013 |
Collectively Bargained Wage Increases Rise, but Remain Below Former LevelsOne of the functions of experienced collective bargaining agreement negotiators and human resources professionals in unionized and union-free companies is to keep abreast of the labor market conditions locally and within his or her client’s industry. In unionized companies, having this information will assist these individuals in recommending a considered course of action at the … Continue reading Collectively Bargained Wage Increases Rise, but Remain Below Former LevelsApril 8, 2013 |
Will High Court Put to Rest Labor Board Recess Appointments Controversy?After the D.C. Circuit held the recess appointments to the NLRB unconstitutional (Recess Appointments at NLRB Unconstitutional, Federal Appeals Court Rules), we began to speculate about the Board’s next move. The Board is now appealing that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Read about it at Healthcare Workplace Update: NLRB Recess Appointment Question to be … Continue reading Will High Court Put to Rest Labor Board Recess Appointments Controversy?April 5, 2013 |
RECESS APPOINTMENTS AT NLRB UNCONSTITUTIONAL, FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULESNational Labor Relations Board Members Sharon Block, Richard Griffin, and former Member Terence F. Flynn were not properly named to the Board as recess appointees by President Barack Obama at the beginning of 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled. Noel Canning v. NLRB et al., Nos. 12-1115 … Continue reading RECESS APPOINTMENTS AT NLRB UNCONSTITUTIONAL, FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULESJanuary 25, 2013 |
UNION NEUTRALITY AGREEMENTS TO BE SCRUTINIZED IF CERTIORARI GRANTED IN FLORIDA CASEThe U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to decide whether a neutrality agreement between a Florida greyhound track and a union improperly delivered a “thing of value” in violation of the Labor Management Relations Act. Traditionally, when a union has sought to organize the employees of an employer and the employer decided it wanted to … Continue reading UNION NEUTRALITY AGREEMENTS TO BE SCRUTINIZED IF CERTIORARI GRANTED IN FLORIDA CASEJanuary 25, 2013 |
NLRB OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL RELEASES OPERATIONS STATISTICS FOR 2012The National Labor Relations Board’s Office of the General Counsel has released its annual “Summary of Operations (Fiscal Year 2012).” According to the Summary, the General Counsel’s office exceeded some of its goals and did not meet others. Here are several notable statistics from the Summary: Initial union representation elections (elections to determine whether a union will … Continue reading NLRB OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL RELEASES OPERATIONS STATISTICS FOR 2012January 22, 2013 |
NLRB Overrules Precedent on Disclosure of Witness Statements to UnionsThe National Labor Relations Board has overruled long-standing precedent and decided it would no longer automatically find exempt from disclosure to a union a written statement by an employee-witness. Instead, the NLRB in Piedmont Gardens, 359 NLRB No. 46 (12/15/12), decided it will apply a balancing test to determine whether such statements should be produced. The … Continue reading NLRB Overrules Precedent on Disclosure of Witness Statements to UnionsJanuary 3, 2013 |
NLRA Handbook Disclaimers May Be Effective After All, Board’s General Counsel SuggestsA recent Memorandum from the National Labor Relations Board’s General Counsel’s Office Division of Advice may cause employers to consider including a National Labor Relations Act-related disclaimer in their employee handbook or human resources policies. In Cox Communications, 17-CA-087612 (2012), the employer’s social media policy contained three provisions, the legality of which had been challenged … Continue reading NLRA Handbook Disclaimers May Be Effective After All, Board’s General Counsel SuggestsDecember 27, 2012 |
NLRB Releases Important End-of-Year DecisionsIn a flurry of activity coinciding with the end of the term of National Labor Relations Board Member Brian Hayes (whose term ended on December 16), the NLRB has issued significant decisions relating to concerted activity conducted on social media, a newly unionized employer’s ability to discipline employees, and an employer’s obligation to continue dues … Continue reading NLRB Releases Important End-of-Year DecisionsDecember 21, 2012 |