Posts tagged unfair labor practice
Cemex Survives: Board Declines Chance to Overturn Novel Representation Framework
April 12, 2026 // While many expected that the Board in Trump’s second administration would quickly overturn Cemex, likely via a representation petition – the procedural posture where the issue would first come up – the decision in St. John’s College indicts just the opposite. The Board’s approach here instead appears consistent with the Board’s broader current goal of clearing its substantial backlog, which has led to the Board ruling narrowly in some recent cases. The Board did somewhat expand an employer’s ability to file an RM petition to test a union’s majority status more than two weeks after it received a demand for recognition, but left open the key question of whether a “late” filed RM petition would serve as a defense to a later unfair labor practice charge. We will need to wait for a later unfair labor practice case in order to gain clarity on this important question.
Baltimore security officers walk out in labor dispute with Abacus Corporation
April 9, 2026 // The walkout hit posts across the city, including Harbor East, police stations, a water treatment facility and public housing developments. Officers are employed through Abacus and other firms, including Metropolitan Protective Services and Urban Development Solutions. Workers described safety concerns and alleged retaliation. Darian Wheeler, fired in March after nine years on the job, said she believes her termination was tied to union activity and came without prior discipline.
Georgetown cat cafe owner proud to reopen under unionized status; workers wait at bargaining table
April 7, 2026 // Georgetown cat cafe Crumbs & Whiskers recently reopened its doors following a brief closure under a new status as the first unionized cat cafe in the United States. But employees say their issues have yet to be resolved. Crumbs & Whiskers owner Zari Ruhi, also known as Kanchan Singh, opened the M Street location of her business in 2019. Ruhi also owns a location in Los Angeles and previously owned a location on O Street in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, which has since shut down.
Some PECO workers could strike soon as union contract expires
March 31, 2026 // A company representative sent Action News the following average salaries with overtime for certain positions in 2025: Lineman: $243,569 Customer Service Representative $117,887 Gas Mechanic $146,470 Transmission & Substation Mechanic $159,548 However, Lawrence Anastasi, the president and business manager of IBEW Local 614, said those numbers don't tell the whole story. He said the union wants retirement benefits for its members.
Potential Falsehoods by the Teamsters Create Opening for Reliable Union Elections
March 30, 2026 // Because in later testimony, BTS employees testified that the lead organizer who claims he was on site soliciting cards on April 23 was never there. Nor, workers testified, were any cards at all signed that day. In addition, there were only 40 drivers on hand that morning, not 46. And finally, BTS employed more than 91 drivers and dispatchers, meaning that, even if 46 cards had been signed, that would not constitute a majority. Therefore, if the workers’ testimony is correct, the majority needed to form a union did not exist.
Union for First Student authorizes strike if no deal is reached on contract negotiations by March 31
March 26, 2026 // The union for First Student has authorized a strike for drivers and employees if contract negotiations fail. The Teamsters union represents more than 17,000 workers nationwide, including bus drivers in New Hampshire.
One TRiiBE, divided?
March 23, 2026 // After the TRiiBE management terminated two employees in January and early March, their last two remaining union-eligible employees—Tonia Hill, who covers the systemic racism beat, and culture correspondent Jerome “Rome J.” Johnson, who covers arts and entertainment, make up the TRiiBE’s award-winning editorial desk—will vote on March 25 on whether to join the Chicago News Guild. The union represents journalists and staff across legacy, alternative, and now nonprofit and independent newsrooms, including multiple Chicago-area news outlets such as the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Reader.
Stacked Deck: How the NLRA Favors Organized Labor and Fails Workers
March 4, 2026 // Today we find a law of unintended consequences. The interests of the workers are often buried under legal precedents and arcane labor rules that make it hard, if not impossible, to make informed decisions regarding unionization. Moreover, the NLRA’s legal landscape is unpredictable and so complex that only the largest employers have a chance of successfully navigating it.
NLRB Relinquishes Jurisdiction Over SpaceX, Abandoning Yearslong Legal Battle
February 17, 2026 // On January 14, 2026, the NMB issued an opinion stating that SpaceX should be covered by the RLA because “space transport includes air travel.” Notably, the fired SpaceX engineers argued that SpaceX does not belong under the NMB because Congress never gave the agency jurisdiction over commercial space transportation, and because unlike airlines serving the general public, SpaceX offers rides only to “hand-picked customers.” These arguments were rejected by the NMB. Citing to that NMB determination, the NLRB regional director reasoned that it lacks jurisdiction over SpaceX and dismissed the pending unfair labor practice complaint.
OPM directs agencies to move forward with ending collective bargaining
February 16, 2026 // An additional “frequently asked questions” document that OPM updated Thursday details various changes agencies should make to comply with Trump’s orders revoking collective bargaining. The guidance, for one, tells agencies to revise federal employees’ personnel files to reflect that they are no longer in a bargaining unit. It also directs agencies to cancel ongoing arbitration proceedings and unfair labor practice (ULP) charges in cases where collective bargaining is being rescinded. OPM said agencies are also allowed to “disregard” union grievances for bargaining units or federal employees that the president has deemed no longer eligible for collective bargaining. Additionally, OPM said agencies should “withdraw” from ongoing union negotiations in cases where collective bargaining is being canceled. Impacted agencies should reclaim office space and resources that were being used for official time, OPM added.