Posts tagged federal labor law
Court rejects New York bid to take over federal labor enforcement
December 2, 2025 // Unions have been pushing labor-friendly states to pass laws allowing state officials to take over workplace enforcement matters when the NLRB cannot respond in a timely manner. New York and California have been leading in this effort, passing laws to that effect in September. The laws give unions a potentially major legal advantage over businesses in workplace disputes, including contested union elections. The laws would only come into play if the NLRB itself is inactive, but that’s been an increasingly common phenomenon in recent years. The NLRB’s five-member board is currently down to just one member due to a combination of members’ terms expiring, some firings by the Trump administration, and slow Senate confirmations.
Cook Board president, officials back efforts to unionize at Chicago Botanic Garden
November 20, 2025 // But Garden officials said in a statement following Preckwinkle’s press conference that they will not agree to card-check neutrality and instead want to engage in a more formal process. “Federal labor law establishes a process for employees to exercise their rights in this regard by making their choice for or against representation in a secret ballot election administered and supervised by the National Labor Relations Board,” the statement said. “Were the Garden to recognize a labor union based solely on ‘card check neutrality,’ — i.e., without giving our employees a chance to be informed and have the ability to hold a secret ballot election on the issue — we would, in our view, be depriving our workers of their rights on this important issue.”
U.S. Senators Unveil Bills to Strengthen Workers’ Rights
November 12, 2025 // F. Vincent Vernuccio, President, Institute for the American Worker. “Together, these bills reflect a modern approach to labor relations — one that trusts workers, promotes transparency, and ensures the law is applied fairly. The committee, led by Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), deserves credit for advancing a balanced package that empowers American workers and strengthens freedom in the workplace.”
Workers need the new Employee Rights Act
November 10, 2025 // The Employee Rights Act is fully aligned with Mr. Trump’s pro-worker vision. It builds on the working-class tax cuts and affordable health care reforms he has already signed. The best way to continue that progress is by fully protecting workers’ right to climb the ladder of opportunity because when they do, the rest of America rises too.
A Republican-Led NLRB May Soon Revisit Expanded Remedies and Other Labor Precedents
October 30, 2025 // The HELP Committee’s approvals signal a likely realignment in the months ahead but not an immediate one, as it remains unknown as to when or whether the NLRB will have a quorum. A new NLRB majority may act quickly once seated to revisit recent precedents—not only Thryv, but also rules governing joint-employer status, independent-contractor classifications and union election procedures. The coming months will be a period of heightened uncertainty for employers navigating ongoing unfair labor practice matters.
The Cannabis Labor Crossroads: Historic Strikes, Labor Peace Agreements (“LPAs”), and What Comes Next
October 18, 2025 // The strikes at Exclusive Brands in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and at Green Thumb Industries’ RISE dispensary in York, Pennsylvania, now stand as the longest in the legal cannabis market. While both actions reflect shared themes—demands for better wages, a voice in the workplace, and concerns about bargaining conduct—they are unfolding in starkly different market contexts and with different strategic aims.
Impasse over NLRB nominee may be just what unions want
October 14, 2025 // The state laws would undermine the role of the NLRB, which was created to enforce the National Labor Relations Act and help ensure “labor peace” – i.e., more amicable relations between unions and management by creating a consistent set of rules for both sides. States could potentially give unions tremendous leverage in conflicts with management by changing the rules currently set down by the NLRB. Just having conflicting rules from region to region, for example, over which workers are eligible to organize, would create major logistical problems for interstate businesses. California’s law was heavily promoted by the Teamsters, who still represent many long-haul truckers.
Testimony: Rachel Greszler: Labor Law Reform Part 1: Diagnosing the Issues, Exploring Current Proposals
October 10, 2025 // SummaryToday’s challenges—from the rise of artificial intelligence to the expansion of independent work and the growing demand for flexibility, autonomy, and new skills—necessitate modernized labor laws that are pro-worker and pro-employer, regardless of the type of workplace. Heavy-handed government interventions and attempts to bring back the 1950s’ ways of work are not the answers. American labor laws should preserve the freedom, dignity, and opportunity that make American work exceptional.
Trump’s NLRB Nominees Get Grilled While Board Faces Uncertain Future
October 3, 2025 // If confirmed by the whole Senate, Mayer and Murphy will join the NLRB’s only member, Democratic appointee David A. Prouty, returning the usually five-person board to a three-person quorum with two GOP members and one Democratic one. Historically, the political affiliation of the board members breaks along a 3-2 split, with the majority coming from the president’s political party. With a quorum, the board should be able to return to its work of helping settle labor disputes as outlined under the National Labor Relations Act.
Amazon sues New York over union protections
September 24, 2025 // In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New York City, Amazon argues that a newly minted state law giving the New York State Public Employment Relations Board authority to oversee union elections and resolve unfair labor practice charges is an "unconstitutional power grab" that's preempted by federal labor laws. Amazon was seeking a temporary restraining order blocking the law, but U.S. District Court judge Eric R. Komitee rejected that request in an order issued late Tuesday, citing a lack of notice to defendants named in the lawsuit. Lawyers for Amazon said the New York law "flips U.S. labor law on its head" by giving the state's PERB jurisdiction over every private-sector employer "until the NLRB gets a court to hold otherwise."