The ability to form smaller bargaining units by breaking up larger aspects of an employer’s organization—sometimes called “micro-units”—is generally seen as an effort to enhance the ability of unions to gain entry into an employer by making it easier to organize. Those opposed to the practice, including both employers and trade groups, contend that carving … Continue Reading
Adding to the list of falling precedents in the waning days of Chairman Miscimarra’s term, on Friday, the NLRB reversed another of the seminal decisions of the Obama-Board when it overruled the highly controversial Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile, 357 NLRB 934 (2011) decision. The 3-2 decision in PCC Structurals, Inc., 365 NLRB … Continue Reading
Change is coming. We noted recently that the administration is thinking about changing the newly adopted persuader regulations. We also know that a majority of make-up of the NLRB is likely to shift very soon, and with it some of the precedents of the last few years will be reversed. Newly appointed Chairman Miscimarra seems to be reiterating what … Continue Reading
Of all the changes to the law the NLRB has made in the last several years, the most significant involve how the agency determines bargaining units. For example, the NLRB’s decision in Specialty Healthcare drastically altered the manner in which bargaining units were determined by the Regional Directors and the NLRB. Also, the NLRB’s ambush election rules also … Continue Reading
This week the NLRB decided two cases involving union organizing in large department stores. In each case an NLRB regional director applied the Board’s Specialty Healthcare test to determine whether the bargaining unit requested by the union was appropriate. In Specialty Healthcare, the Board held that a unit will be presumptively appropriate for collective bargaining … Continue Reading
In the first judicial challenge to the NLRB’s Specialty Healthcare decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has upheld the Board. In Specialty Healthcare the Board held that it will find a petitioned for unit appropriate where the unit is made up of (i) an identifiable group of employees (ii) who share a community of interest with … Continue Reading
One of the NLRB’s most sweeping decisions in decades, Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile, 357 NLRB No. 83 (August 26, 2011).pdf, has reached a federal appeals court, as the employer seeks to have the decision overturned. As we have previously discussed, the Board in this case established the micro union standard, where the bargaining unit sought by a … Continue Reading
It’s been a quiet few weeks for the NLRB. Since January 1, the NLRB has issued only a small number of decisions, none of which appear to be noteworthy. There are, of course, many developments that are in process. For example, we still do not know the full effect of the NLRB’s decision in Specialty … Continue Reading
As 2011 came to a close, no one was certain whether the NLRB would continue to function into 2012 as Member Becker’s recess appointment came to an end, leaving only two Members. In those waning days, the NLRB issued a remarkable decision in DTG Operations, Inc., 357 NLRB No. 175 (December 30, 2011) applying its decision … Continue Reading
The holidays used to be such a quiet time of year as people slowly peeled off to take time to enjoy the season. This holiday season is different, of course. With the impending departure of NLRB Member Becker by the end of this year, we anticipated a flurry of activity as the NLRB attempts to … Continue Reading
As we reported earlier, the NLRB announced it was ready to vote on some proposed amendments to the rules concerning representation elections. There was no indication in the original announcement of about the substance of the changes. On November 29, 2011, NLRB Chairman Mark Pierce disclosed more information in the form of a Board Resolution. … Continue Reading
As previously discussed, the impending departure of Chairman Liebman, as well as the coming of the end of the NLRB’s fiscal year, made it highly likely we would see some significant decisions issued by the agency. Chairman Liebman departed after fourteen years on Saturday, but not before having one last word about her critics. The New York Times’ Steven Greenhouse captured perfectly a … Continue Reading
The mid-point of Summer has passed. Although the NLRB has not issued a major decision in several weeks, the agency has not been slacking off this Summer. In a typical year, August and September are the busiest months for the NLRB, because the federal government’s fiscal year ends September 30. During the final weeks of the … Continue Reading
What a difference a few months can make. Last December, in Specialty Healtcare and Rehabilitation of Mobile the NLRB invited interested parties to file briefs to consider a number of questions about whether it should consider adopting a new “one size fits all” rule for bargaining units in nursing homes (called “nonacute care” facilities). The case … Continue Reading
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