Employers are pleasantly surprised when I tell them that bargaining for a collective bargaining agreement does not mean that every part of running their business must be negotiated. I then explain what a management rights clause is – a blog entry for a later day – and the difference between mandatory, permissive, and illegal subjects of bargaining.…

The surge in on-line shopping necessitates an increase in demand of packaged deliveries.  This is front and center in the UPS-Teamsters Labor negotiations.  It appears that the two sides have reached a tentative agreement to create a category of drivers to handle weekend shifts. This deal calls for the company to review technological changes like the deployment of…

A symphony orchestra that agreed to pay some of its musicians more than a collective bargaining agreement provides must disclose the “overscale” arrangements to the musicians’ union. The Denver Musicians Association has waived any right to negotiate such contracts for individual musicians, but the ALJ said the information is relevant to the union’s representation of…

Unions representing poultry workers are demanding the Department of Agriculture reject an industry petition to increase poultry line speeds in plants. The National Chicken Council recently presented a petition to the UDSA to implement a waiver system that would permit young chicken slaughtering plants to operate without line speed limits imposed. Opponents of the petition…

Every union organizing campaign promises increased wages. Regardless what employee currently make or that they sought out union representation to improve safety conditions at their workplace, every union organizer promises increased wages to offset union initiation fees and monthly dues. It’s. Just. That. Simple. What do unions do when data shows that they are not getting…

Dues deduction became a common practice in the mid-1900’s when few workers had checking accounts. Unions tired of going to each member individually to collect dues, so they negotiated into collective bargaining agreements clauses forcing the employer to payroll deduct the dues and remit a single check to the union for all members’ dues. Companies…