Why Did Right-to-Work Tennessee have the Biggest Jump in Union Workers in 2022?

Out of all 50 states, union membership has grown the fastest in the past two years in this right to work state: Tennessee. Government employees, building trades, and autoworkers union membership grew in Tennessee by more than 39% from the pandemic low in 2020. But that’s not the only place membership has grown. Despite its…
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OSHA to Allow Unions and “Community Members” to Tag Along on Inspections

OSHA plans to allow worker advocates like unions and “community members” to tag along during OSHA inspections – even if the employees are not in a union. While most people know me as an attorney who defends companies from unions. I also deal with OSHA. A lot. You would be surprised to know how often…
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Will the Federal Government Insert Itself into Major Labor Contract Negotiations this Year?

President Biden, self-proclaimed “most pro-union president ever” participated in the labor negotiations for the railway industry. He took credit for stopping a potential national freight rail strike. A strike between the private rail companies and their employees, in theory, could have severely crippled the U.S. economy. Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh, a former union leader,…
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Several Reasons Companies May Lawfully Refuse to Bargain with a Union

There are several reasons why a company can lawfully refuse to bargain with a union. When unions file unfair labor practice charges against companies for refusing to bargain, the NLRB can seek an injunction in federal district court to force the company to bargain during the investigation of the unfair labor practice charge. Injunctions can…
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Unions Win Mail-Ballot Elections 20% More Times than In-Person Elections

I recently posted about the NLRB ordering union-friendly, mail-ballot elections at an increased rate despite in-person voting being the preferred method of elections by previous NLRBs for decades. The current NLRB may be poised to take it one step further and replace mail-ballot elections with an e-voting system. President Obama’s NLRB, in 2010, sought solutions…
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Austin Legal Labor Relations Newsletter #5

Welcome to The Labor Leader – a weekly recap of the most valuable content on labor relations from an employer’s perspective. The National Labor Relations Act covers both union and non-union private-sector employers. This newsletter is a digest of my views on labor laws, the National Labor Relations Board, and unions. ______________________________ NLRB Protects Workers…
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