Posts tagged union recognition
Update: Labor Peace Agreements, the Cannabis Industry, and the NLRB
September 23, 2025 // The intersection of LPAs, the cannabis industry, and the NLRB presents a legal landscape marked by uncertainty and rapid change. As states continue to require LPAs as a condition of licensure, and as the NLRB remains without a quorum, employers and unions must navigate a patchwork of state regulations without clear guidance. Until federal legalization or NLRB functionality brings greater clarity, businesses should work closely with legal counsel to ensure compliance with state requirements while preparing for potential shifts in federal enforcement. Ultimately, the future of labor relations in the cannabis sector will depend on how courts, regulators, and industry participants respond to these unprecedented challenges.
Loyola Marymount abruptly rescinds recognition of faculty union, claiming religious exemption
September 21, 2025 // A 1979 Supreme Court decision regarding the Catholic Bishop of Chicago ruled that the NLRB should not seek to regulate religious institutions, arguing that problems with religious freedom protections enshrined in the 1st Amendment can arise when a government office tries to determine if certain activities are religious or not. In the decades since, rulings by federal courts and the NLRB have focused on creating a standard to deem whether a school is a religious institution, and whether the labor board can assert itself when it comes to employees who are not involved with its religious mission. Recent rulings have further curtailed the NLRB’s reach.
Spokane County library district unionizes, citing scheduling concerns
September 9, 2025 // Spokane County Library District is one of the last nonunionized public library districts in the state, according to Council 2 Director Michael Rainey. Unions are typically certified 60-90 days after filing for union recognition. Once the union is certified, the library district will meet with union members to start negotiations for the employees' first contract, which will likely include issues like scheduling concerns and compensation.
Under Trump, Student Labor Organizers Face New Challenges
August 7, 2025 // Anticipating a rollback of recent NLRB precedent, some unions have withdrawn petitions for recognition, looking for other paths to continue their work.
Amazon faces legal complaint for refusing to negotiate with unionized S.F. workers
April 24, 2025 // A hearing is scheduled for August before an administrative law judge. If the judge rules against Amazon, the company could be ordered to begin negotiations — a move that may influence similar union efforts at warehouses in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Southern California. The San Francisco workers were part of a national strike last December, calling for higher wages, improved safety and official union recognition.
Schumer moves to lock in place Democrat-majority labor board
December 11, 2024 // Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is attempting to ensure that the Democrats retain control of the National Labor Relations Board, the main federal labor law enforcement agency, until at least 2026 by extending the term of its current chairwoman, Lauren McFerran. A Senate floor vote on McFerran’s nomination is pending and, while it is possible that Senate Republicans could block it, it is not clear if enough will show up for the vote to do that. The vote may happen on Wednesday. This matters because the current board has been an aggressive advocate for unionization.
Get Ready for NLRB Rule Making It Harder to Decertify Unions: 5 Key Steps for Employers
September 27, 2024 // The Board’s final amendment reinstates its 2001 decision in Staunton Fuel, establishing a low threshold for demonstrating majority union employee support in the construction industry. Under Staunton Fuel, a union can become a duly authorized representative under section 9(a) of the NLRA based solely on collective bargaining language – that the impacted employees may never see – negotiated under Section 8(f) (often referred to as a “pre-hire agreement”). Under section 8(f), construction industry employers may choose to become “union” without any showing of employee support. By readopting this standard, the Board concludes that the mere presence of language suggesting that the union obtained recognition in the 8(f) agreement is enough to confer majority status under Section 9(a).
Skokie Amazon drivers strike, here’s what they allege
June 30, 2024 // Illinois Amazon drivers at their Skokie delivery station went on strike on Wednesday. They're alleging the company is violating federal labor laws and refusing to recognize their union.
Rail strike suspended ahead of talks to resolve union recognition dispute
April 12, 2024 // Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent Thu, April 11, 2024 at 4:16 AM EDT·1 min read A planned strike by rail workers at CrossCountry has been suspended after progress over a union recognition dispute. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) were due to walk out on Saturday. The union said the company has agreed to hold talks in a bid to resolve the row. Mick Lynch Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch (Belinda Jiao/PA) RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “With our members prepared to take strike action this weekend, CrossCountry management has seen the need to sit down with RMT to find a long-term resolution to this impasse. “We have agreed to suspend strike action and take up this opportunity. “But our strike mandate remains in place, so we will name new strike dates if that becomes necessary.”