Many union leaders, like Stuart Appelbaum, the head of the most powerful retail workers union (Retail Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU)) are optimistic about the future. While membership at many unions has shrunk, Appelbaum’s RWDSU has had recent notable victories in the generally hard-to-organize retail world by unionizing employees at H&M, Zara, Duane Reade,…

The United States now has more right to work than compulsory unionism states. In right to work states, employees are not forced to be in a union just to work at a union company. Employees, instead, choose whether to join the union and pay union dues or not pay union dues. Regardless of their decision,…

Conducting workplace investigations is one of the hardest tasks for HR managers. Getting unwilling witnesses to come forth, finding out what information is applicable, and making sure the process is as fair to the alleged violator as to the alleged victim are challenging enough without the NLRB’s influence weakening the process. Until recently, to get…

The UAW successfully negotiated into collective bargaining agreements with Ford, GM, and FCA (Fiat Chrysler) a Legal Services Plan that commences today. According to a press release: “I am pleased to announce that UAW members will be able to participate in this benefit starting next Wednesday, and I would like to commend vice presidents Jimmy…

Union membership in Ohio was up in 2016 despite unionization rates falling to new record lows nationally. In Ohio, 12.4 percent (roughly 617,000) of workers are in unions. Nationally, the union membership rate was 10.7 percent in 2016, down from 11.1 percent in 2015, and down from 20.1% in 1983 (the first year for which…

A union hospital had a collective bargaining agreement that gave preference to bargaining unit members for hiring or transferring into positions covered by the CBA. Stated differently, union-represented employees at that hospital received preference over non-union employees for open positions at that facility. To level the playing field, the employer instituted a policy giving non-union…