Tag: Unions

West Virginia becomes 26th right-to-work state

by Rodney L. Bean West Virginia became the nation’s 26th right-to-work state Friday when both houses of the West Virginia Legislature voted to override Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of right-to-work legislation. The new law will take effect May 4, 2016. The legislation bans union security agreements—pacts between employers and labor unions that require employees […]

West Virginia Legislature passes right-to-work bill; governor promises veto

by Rodney L. Bean Both houses of West Virginia’s legislature have passed a bill that would make West Virginia the nation’s 26th right-to-work state. The bill arrived at Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s desk on Monday, February 8, and now awaits his signature or veto.  After a February 4 debate that lasted almost five hours, the […]

NLRB dismisses petition to unionize Northwestern football players

Just how the dismissal of the petition to unionize some Northwestern University football players will affect other representation issues before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is uncertain, but one issue the Board didn’t touch is whether scholarship football players should be considered employees. The NLRB announced on August 17 that it had unanimously decided […]

Voters to decide on Anchorage collective bargaining ordinance

by Tom Daniel When voters in Anchorage go to the polls in November, they will decide the fate of a local ordinance that reins in the collective bargaining rights of municipal employees. A referendum to repeal the local ordinance known as the Responsible Labor Act will be part of the November 4 ballot. The ordinance, […]

NLRB’s McDonald’s franchise determination called ‘aggressive play’

A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that the McDonald’s corporation is a joint employer with its franchisees is a departure from longtime precedent that’s drawing fire from the fast-food giant and other business interests. The NLRB’s Office of the General Counsel released a statement on July 29 saying the Oak Brook, Illinois-based corporation could […]

UAW trying different approach to unionize Volkswagen plant

Despite two failed attempts to unionize the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the United Auto Workers (UAW) on July 10 announced the creation of Local 42, a local that Chattanooga VW workers can join voluntarily. “We’ve had ongoing discussions with Volkswagen and have arrived at a consensus with the company,” Gary Casteel, the UAW’s secretary-treasurer, […]

Wal-Mart workers step up wage strikes

Wal-Mart workers were set to protest in more than 20 cities on June 4 as efforts by low-wage workers to increase their pay continue. Fast-food and retail workers have been staging occasional strikes in cities across the country for over a year in an effort to boost wages and improve working conditions. The Wal-Mart strikes […]

Fast-food strikers plan escalation

The call for higher wages and more rights for fast-food workers and others in traditionally low-wage jobs is culminating in a nationwide strike set for May 15, but the effort doesn’t stop there, according to an organization leading the strikes. The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) […]

NLRB invites briefs in Northwestern football case

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is inviting interested parties to submit briefs on the Northwestern University football case. Briefs must be submitted on or before June 26, 2014. At the request of the university, the NLRB agreed on April 24 to review the decision of a regional director finding that the university’s scholarship football […]

NLRB to hear stakeholders on ‘quickie’ election rule

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is set to hear opinions on its proposed changes to the rules governing union representation elections during hearings on April 10-11. The meetings can be seen in their entirety at www.nlrb.gov/openmeeting. The hearings will begin at 9:00 a.m. (ET) at the Board’s Washington, D.C., offices. Speakers had to submit […]