Labor Relations Update

Tag Archives: unilateral change

NLRB Finds Employer Acted Lawfully by Paying Statutory Minimum Christmas Bonus, Rejecting Unilateral Change and CBA Modification Claims

By Mark Theodore, Joshua Fox and Heylee Bernstein on Posted in NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5)
On January 14, 2021, the NLRB issued a decision in Asociacion de Empleados del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, 370 NLRB No. 71. The decision involved the issue of whether a term of employment contained in a collective bargaining agreement continues after the expiration of the contract. This issue has been vexing for employers … Continue Reading

NLRB: Changes in Workplace Policies Not Applicable to Union Employees do not Constitute a Unilateral Action by the Employer

By Mark Theodore and Elizabeth Dailey on Posted in COVID-19, NLRB
As the NLRB continues to navigate the uncertainty in the work landscape during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it seems to have stayed largely on course, regularly issuing decisions touching on a number of important topics under the Act. One such important topic that the Board has devoted recent attention to has been the issue of … Continue Reading

Board Affirms Right to Unilaterally Implement Changes to Benefit Plans Based on Waiver, Foreshadowing Potentially Looser Standard for Contractual Waivers

By Peter D. Conrad and Joshua Fox on Posted in NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5)
The NLRB continues to churn out decisions post-Labor Day.  On September 4, in a 2-1 decision,  (Chairman Ring and Member Kaplan, with Member McFerran dissenting), the NLRB found that  E.I. DuPont De Nemours did not violate the NLRA by unilaterally implementing changes to its company-wide retiree medical and dental plans based on the unions’ waiver … Continue Reading

NLRB: Employer Did Not Unlawfully Discontinue Christmas Bonus

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Collective Bargaining, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices
Summer is winding down but the NLRB continues to be a source of vigorous activity.  The Board recently issued a sweeping decision regarding the lawfulness of arbitration agreements.  Also, the Board announced its intention to change the so-called ambush election rules.  Of course, the Board continues to issue decisions on a regular basis.  Discussion of some of … Continue Reading

NLRB: Employer’s Reasons For Policy Changes Kept Union’s Information Request Alive Even After Proposals Withdrawn

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Collective Bargaining, Duty to furnish information, Duty to provide information, Employer policies, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices
Information requests in the realm of labor relations are simple in theory but can be complicated in practice.  We have seen how the topics of information sought by a union can cause skirmishes, sometimes deliberately so.  We also have seen that it almost never is a good idea for a party to just deny a request for relevant information … Continue Reading

Case Demonstrates Perils Of Refusing To Discuss Issues With Union

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Collective Bargaining, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices
A significant change in NLRB precedent during the last few years was the added requirement that an employer bargain over discretionary aspects of discipline in the period between the union acquiring representational rights and the first contract.  Given the limited set of circumstances one doesn’t see a whole lot of these cases.  A recent NLRB … Continue Reading

NLRB Majority Stuns Nation By Ruling Employer Has Management Right, Chairman Dissents

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Collective Bargaining, Deferral, General Counsel, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Unfair Labor Practices
In another example of the inconsistency of the current state of Board law, a 2-1 majority of the NLRB ruled that an employer not only had a management right but it wasn’t necessary that this right be expressly set forth in the parties’ contract.  This is certainly odd because the NLRB went out of its … Continue Reading

No Duty To Bargain Over Discipline During Contract Hiatus, NLRB Division of Advice

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Advice, Collective Bargaining, Due Process, General Counsel, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized
The NLRB has been active but quiet during the last few months as the agency quietly reaffirms decisions nullified by the Supreme Court.  By all accounts, however, and as history has proved, the NLRB is getting ready to issue an onslaught of law-changing decisions as we head into the holiday season.  This onslaught of change … Continue Reading

NLRB Discards 50 Years Of Precedent – Dues Checkoff Clauses Now Survive Expiration Of Bargaining Agreement

By Mark Theodore on Posted in Collective Bargaining, General Counsel, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices
Claiming that the Board “has never provided a coherent explanation” for the 50 year old rule that the obligation to continue deducting dues pursuant to a dues checkoff provision ceases upon expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, the NLRB recently announced it has overruled existing precedent.  Dues checkoff provisions now survive the expiration of an agreement … Continue Reading
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