In what appears to be the first time he has participated in a National Labor Relations Board decision, new NLRB Member Marvin E. Kaplan, a Republican, has voted to deny an employer’s request to stay an election. He voted with Democrat Mark Gaston Pearce and contrary to Republican Philip Miscimarra. Kaplan was sworn in on … Continue Reading
Apparently, reports of the demise of organized labor are greatly exaggerated. According to a Gallup poll conducted from August 2 to 6, 2017, 61% of adults answered that they approve when asked, “Do you approve or disapprove of unions?” This is the highest percentage since 2003, when 65% said they approve. While only 22% of … Continue Reading
With the recent confirmation of Marvin Kaplan to the National Labor Relations Board, the Obama (pro-union) Board is officially transitioning into a Trump (pro-business) Board. With that, Republicans hope, will come a change in the Board’s jurisprudence with respect to labor-friendly rulings by the Obama Board. At the top of the “wish list for reversal” … Continue Reading
As noted in our previous post about Dirty Dancing, as part of its investigation into thefts of guests’ property, the resort owner interviewed staff dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Johnny denies involvement in the burglaries), to determine whether he had an alibi for the evening when Moe Pressman’s wallet was stolen. We now know that Castle responded … Continue Reading
The United States Senate has narrowly confirmed former counsel to the Commissioner of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Marvin Kaplan to one of two vacant seats on the National Labor Relations Board. Kaplan’s confirmations leaves one vacant seat on the five-member Board. President Donald Trump has nominated management labor lawyer William Emanuel for … Continue Reading
On May 30, 2017, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens signed legislation generally barring public entities from requiring job-specific union contracts called “project labor agreements” on public construction projects. The legislation, effective August 28, 2017, prohibits public entities from requiring contractors to enter into project labor agreements and from discriminating against, encouraging, or giving preferential treatment to … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump has nominated management labor attorney William Emanuel to fill one of the two vacant seats on the five-member National Labor Relations Board. Trump previously had nominated attorney Marvin Kaplan, counsel to the Commissioner of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, for the other vacant seat. If Kaplan and Emanuel, Republicans, are … Continue Reading
A New York City ordinance requiring car wash companies to post a higher surety bond if they do not sign a union bargaining agreement covering their employees is invalid because it unlawfully favors unionization, and therefore runs afoul of the National Labor Relations Act, a federal district court judge has ruled on May 26, 2017. … Continue Reading
Several deficiencies in a voter eligibility list justified rerunning an election that the employer had won, the NLRB has held, 2-1 (Chairman Philip Miscimarra dissenting in part). RHCG Safety Corp., 365 NLRB No. 88 (June 7, 2017). The Board found that more than 90% of the voters’ addresses on the list provided by the employer … Continue Reading
Unions fare better in the quickest elections under the National Labor Relations Board’s April 2015 “quickie” election rules, according to a Bloomberg BNA report. Unions have continued to win elections about 67 percent of the time overall since the implementation of the rules, according to the report. However, two years after the rules went into … Continue Reading
The National Labor Relations Board’s wish that its budget for fiscal year 2017 be increased over its FY 2016 budget apparently will not be granted. According to Politico, at $274.2 million, Congress has left the NLRB’s budget unchanged from FY 2016. This is despite NLRB General Counsel Richard Griffin’s view, stated in a March 10, … Continue Reading
Alexander Acosta was confirmed on Thursday to serve as President Donald J. Trump’s Secretary of Labor. Acosta was approved by a vote of 60-38, according to Employment Law360. Acosta has held several government positions, having been an NLRB Member, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and United States Attorney in South Florida. Most recently, … Continue Reading
Two years after the National Labor Relations Board’s decision in Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., 362 NLRB No. 186 (2015), which overturned 30 years of precedent, 57 members of Congress, mostly Republicans, supported by business owner advocacy group Workforce Fairness Institute, are urging the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS & Education Committee on Appropriations “to include … Continue Reading
The National Labor Relations Board has announced that Republican Philip A. Miscimarra has been named NLRB Chairman by President Donald J. Trump. Miscimarra had been designated Acting Chairman by President Trump on January 23, 2017. Miscimarra has served as a Board Member since August 7, 2013, and is the sole Republican Member currently serving on the … Continue Reading
The National Labor Relations Board has denied petitions to revoke subpoenas that were issued by an NLRB Regional Director to two companies seeking information about a possible joint employer relationship between the two employers. The subpoenas arose out of the investigation of several unfair labor practice charges filed by a union against the companies, alleging … Continue Reading
Unions won 72% of all representation elections conducted by the National Labor Relations Board in 2016, and 74% when the election involved a small unit of 49 workers or less, according to a Bloomberg BNA report based on NLRB data. These percentages are a four-year high for unions. At the same time, fewer workers were … Continue Reading
A House bill would require federal agencies to report annually on the amount of “official time” (i.e., taxpayer-paid time) that federal employees spend on union activities rather than working at their regular job duties. H.R. 1293 (the “Official Time Reform Act of 2017”) was introduced by Rep. David Ross (R-Fla.) on March 1, 2017, and … Continue Reading
President Donald J. Trump has narrowed his list of candidates to fill the two open seats on the five-member National Labor Relations Board to Marvin Kaplan, William Emanuel, and Douglas Seaton, according to Bloomberg BNA. Emanuel and Seaton are labor attorneys and Kaplan is counsel to the Commissioner of the Occupational Safety and Health Review … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump has nominated R. Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor. His nomination comes one day after Andrew Puzder, Trump’s first pick to lead the Department of Labor, withdrew his nomination. Acosta, currently the Dean of Florida International University’s law school, is the son of Cuban immigrants. If confirmed, Acosta would be the … Continue Reading
According to reports, Andrew Puzder, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Department of Labor Secretary, has withdrawn his name from consideration. This comes on the heels of a Washington Post report that seven Republican Senators were set to vote against his nomination.… Continue Reading
The confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor-nominee Andrew Puzder before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee will take place on February 16, according to Politico. The hearing has been delayed four times. The last one, scheduled for February 7, was put off “indefinitely” because the HELP committee had not received the required … Continue Reading
Scholarship football players in Division I FBS private sector colleges and universities are employees under the National Labor Relations Act, National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Richard F. Griffin has concluded. Accordingly, he explained, the players have all of the rights and protections available to employees under the Act. Click here to read the full … Continue Reading
The confirmation hearing for Andrew Puzder, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, has been postponed from January 12 to the week of January 16, according to a report in Politico. The hearing will take place before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The Committee is chaired by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).… Continue Reading
Local governments may enact “right to work” laws, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, in Cincinnati, has held. United Auto Workers v. Hardin County, No. 16-5246 (Nov. 18, 2016). The Court ruled that such a law is not preempted by the National Labor Relations Act. This is the first federal appellate court … Continue Reading
