Howard M. BloomBlog Posts
Board Revisits Recusal RulesThe National Labor Relations Board has issued its “Ethics Recusal Report,” which announces several process changes that may add new wrinkles to practice before the Board. Much of the Report, dated November 19, 2019, is minutiae and insider information regarding existing methods of identifying ethical conflicts. In 2018, the NLRB faced a high-profile ethical crisis.... Continue ReadingNovember 25, 2019 |
Seventh Circuit Declines to Award Damages to Victorious Janus PlaintiffAn employee who paid “fair share” union fees under protest is not entitled to damages to refund any of the money he paid the union, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has held. Janus v. Am. Fed’n of State, No. 19-1553 (Nov. 4, 2019). The Court explained fair share fees were “an... Continue ReadingNovember 20, 2019 |
NLRB Advice Memo: Lack of Coworker Support Does Not Render Pay Complaints UnprotectedAn employee’s complaints about his pay to coworkers was protected concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), even though the employee was unsuccessful in enlisting any other employees to support his complaints, the Advice Division of the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Office of the General Counsel has decided. Therefore, the NLRB found... Continue ReadingNovember 15, 2019 |
‘Vague’ Savings Clause Insufficient to Save Arbitration Agreement Limiting Employees’ Access to NLRBAn arbitration agreement requiring that all “claims or controversies in any way relating to or associated with … employment or the termination of … employment … will be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration,” including “all statutory… claims” violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled. The Board, applying... Continue ReadingNovember 11, 2019 |
Labor Board: Unions Waived Right to Bargain Over Changes to Retiree Medical BenefitsThe National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has held that an employer did not violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) when it unilaterally changed retirees’ medical benefits without first negotiating with the unions that represented its employees. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Co., 368 NLRB No. 48 (Sept. 4, 2019). The NLRB found the... Continue ReadingOctober 15, 2019 |
NLRB: Wildcat Strike Loses NLRA Protection Following Employee Knowledge of Union Disavowal, DisapprovalA wildcat strike was not protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) once the striking employees became aware that their union disapproved of and disavowed the strike, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled. CC1 Limited Partnership d/b/a Coca Cola Puerto Rico Bottlers, 368 NLRB No. 84 (Sept. 30, 2019). The employees’ continued... Continue ReadingOctober 15, 2019 |
Running Backs NLRB Petition Seeks To “Stiff Arm” NFL Players Association With New Bargaining UnitAn upstart labor organization, the International Brotherhood of Professional Running Backs (IBPRB), has filed a petition with Region 13, the Chicago office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), seeking to form a separate union for the National Football League’s running backs. The unit clarification petition, NLRB Case No. 13-UC-246227, seeks to sever and create...… Continue Reading The post Running Backs NLRB Petition Seeks To “Stiff Arm” NFL Players Association With New Bargaining Unit appeared first on Collegiate & Professional Sports Law Blog.August 28, 2019 |
Supreme Court’s Epic Systems Decision on Arbitration Interpreted Broadly by Labor BoardAn employer may lawfully issue to its employees a new or revised mandatory arbitration agreement containing a class- and collective-action waiver specifying that employment disputes are to be resolved by individualized arbitration, even if it was in response to employees opting into a collective action (such as a wage lawsuit), the National Labor Relations Board...… Continue ReadingAugust 20, 2019 |
NLRB Issues Proposed Rules To Modify Portions Of Its Election ProceduresThe National Labor Relations Board has issued a proposed rule to modify three aspects of its election procedures. According to the board’s announcement, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which will be published in the Federal Register on Monday and be subject to a comment period, would affect the Board’s blocking charge rule, voluntary recognition … Continue Reading The post NLRB Issues Proposed Rules To Modify Portions Of Its Election Procedures appeared first on Labor & Collective Bargaining.August 9, 2019 |
NLRB Allows Email Submission of Public Comments to Proposed Joint-Employer RulemakingThe National Labor Relations Board has announced that, in light of the partial government shutdown, the public may submit comments on the proposed joint-employer rulemaking by email to Regulations@nlrb.gov. Comments also may be submitted by mail, electronically through the NLRB’s website, or by hand-delivery. The deadline to submit comments in any form remains on or... Continue ReadingJuly 10, 2019 |