Posts tagged National Labor Relations Act
GM Battery Plant Could End UAW’s Organizing Drought
November 10, 2022 // The $2.3 billion Ultium Cells plant in Northeast Ohio is critical to GM’s battery-electric-vehicle offensive, which is in danger of falling behind schedule because the automaker cannot get enough batteries to power its growing fleet of BEVs. A majority of Ultium workers have signed cards authorizing the UAW to represent them, union President Ray Curry says. The UAW has filed a petition with the Cleveland office of the National Labor Relations Board calling for an election establishing the union as the workers’ bargaining agent. Ultium Cells rejected the UAW’s request for voluntary recognition and said it would prefer a recognition election. So far there is no sign Ultium Cells and its management team, which includes several former GM employees, is preparing to run an anti-UAW campaign in the plant, Russo says.
Proposed Rule Makes It Easier for Unions to Carry On
November 9, 2022 // The big takeaway here is that the current NLRB is moving to protect union status among organized workforces," said David Pryzbylski, an attorney with Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis. "This rule would make it easier for unions to keep their umbrella over workers, even if the employees no longer wished to be represented by a union. It doesn't impact workers' ability to form unions." The NLRB "is picking up the pace on reversing Trump-era policies in favor of policies that are more friendly to labor organizations," said Christopher Durham, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia.
Op-ed: The NLRB is gutting free speech to protect unions
November 4, 2022 // The reason behind Biden’s vow remains clear as day — unions are one of the largest drivers of cash to Democratic campaign coffers, spending $1.8 billion in the 2020 cycle alone. To deliver on this campaign promise, Biden has weaponized the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to clamp down on workplace speech and drive up union membership. Congress needs to get hold of the runaway NLRB before it is too late.
Screenprinters vote to unionize, but owner says he closed their shop
November 3, 2022 // “Due to the financial strains on the business, we’ve closed up those divisions and will no longer produce them. We sold or are in process of selling all of the equipment,” Crushin’ It Apparel owner Jeremy Kruk told the Cap Times following the vote tally. “This door to my life is now closed.”
CT’s ‘captive audience’ law challenged in federal lawsuit
November 2, 2022 // Connecticut’s ban on “captive audience” meetings, which unions say are used to thwart organizing, is unconstitutional and a preemption of federal labor law, a coalition led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce claimed in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Hartford. The lawsuit, joined by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and trade groups representing retailers and others, says the ban violates free-speech and equal-protection rights under the Constitution by “chilling and prohibiting employer speech” with their workers. The defendants in the lawsuit are Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo of the state Department of Labor, the department itself, and Attorney General William Tong. Chris DiPentima,
Trader Joe’s United’s first loss is further proof that unionizing isn’t easy
November 2, 2022 // Ananya Bhattacharya Mon, October 31, 2022 at 4:43 AM·3 min read Three months into its unionizing efforts, Trader Joe’s United has lost its winning streak. At a Trader Joe’s store in Brooklyn, workers on Oct. 28 voted 94 to 66 against joining the independent union, which represents employees at two other stores in Massachusetts and in Minnesota.
Biden’s Labor Department moves to raise taxes on the American workforce
November 1, 2022 // The Labor Department’s proposed rule would force Americans who don’t want a boss to have a boss. Under current law, independent contractors perform a task or execute a project and present the result to an individual or business for payment. Unlike traditional employees, independent contractors have the freedom to set their own schedules, determine their workload, and can put food on the table without needing a boss. Labor’s new proposed rule would force independent contractors to reclassify as W-2 employees if the worker is “economically dependent” on the entity that is paying him or her.
Starbucks will get reporters’ messages with union, federal judge rules
October 31, 2022 // A federal judge has ordered the organization behind a unionization drive at Starbucks stores in western New York to turn over all of its messages with journalists — a sweeping and unusual ruling that will let the company peek into communications that courts usually view as private and protected. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit Court,
Conservative group launches effort to fight Biden administration workplace rules
October 28, 2022 // If implemented, the new rules could restrict independent contracting, which would force some freelancers to reclassify as employees, and broaden the definition of joint employment, making it harder to own and operate franchise businesses. Because these rules are being proposed by executive branch agencies, they do not go through rounds of debate and votes in Congress. However, under the 1946 Administrative Procedures Act, they must go through a public comment period to receive feedback before being implemented. This is where the group, Heritage Action for America, is trying to make an impact, soliciting comments from the public via a new website.
Louisville Ford Assembly Plant Worker Slams UAW Union with Federal Charges for Seizing Money from Her Paycheck Illegally
October 28, 2022 // Charge detailing violation of employee’s rights comes after multiple top UAW chiefs have been sentenced to prison for widespread corruption and embezzlement of workers’ dues money