Some of my clients want to get rid of the union that represents their employees. They believe that if they close their company and reopen under another name, perhaps in a different location, that the union will no longer represent their employees. I have to tell them that they are wrong. According to a public…

The National Labor Relations Board recently held that it will assert jurisdiction over faculty members of a college or university that claims to be a religious employer unless the institution shows both: 1) that it holds itself out as providing a religious educational environment; and 2) that it holds out faculty who seek to unionize…

In Cleveland, a labor union has been recommended for trusteeship by a federal investigative panel after it was named in a report for misusing funds and violating the Federal Labor Standards Act. The officers of the Teamsters’ Local involved, which has employees in the grocery and warehousing industry, spent over 70% of its members’ dues…

A company owned multiple car dealerships. One dealership employed six mechanics, all of whom belonged to a union. In 2009, the company shut down the “union dealership” and offered the six employees jobs at its “nonunion dealership.” Five of the mechanics took the job at the nonunion dealership. The five employees were no longer a…

Most companies have designated work areas and break rooms. Work areas are where employees are on-the-clock performing their job duties. Break rooms are where employees are completely free from engaging in any work-related activity. But, what about mixed-use areas, where some employees relax and some engage in work-related activity? For example, one company had a…

A transportation company employed 40 road supervisors who monitor drivers to ensure they follow company policies. They recommend discipline by filling out “observation notices” when a driver breaks a rule and “pats on the back” when drivers do something positive. The notices and pats on the back are forwarded to a senior supervisor who metes…