Articles Posted in Unions (labor relations)

When it comes to COVID-19 this season, the National Football League means business — literally. And you should too.

July 26, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Last season, COVID-19 breakouts on several teams threatened to cancel many National Football League games. But, NFL scrambled to make it work.

However, this year, with the vaccinations widely available, the NFL will be cracking down on teams that don’t take prophylactic steps to avoid disrupting the 2021-22 season. Continue reading

Organized labor’s favorite 12-foot inflatable protest balloon prevails — red eyes, fangs, claws and all.

July 22, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board issued this decision in which it found that a union did not violate the National Labor Relations Act by displaying a 12-foot inflatable rat with red eyes, fangs, and claws.

You and I know him as Scabby the Rat. Not to be confused with Scabbers the Rat.

Let’s answer some of your COVID-19 return to work questions. The Zoom Office Hour returns this Friday, 6/25 at Noon ET

June 21, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

Last Wednesday, as part of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s EXCEL Conference, three of us (me and two of the EEOC’s education and outreach coordinators) gazed into our crystal ball to predict some of the issues that employers will face as more employees return to the workplace. Continue reading

President Biden announces a task force to help your employees unionize. Yikes!

April 27, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Last month, President Biden publicly supported the failed unionization attempt at Amazon’s distribution center in Alabama. Yesterday, he doubled down with an Executive Order reaffirming his Administration’s policy to “encourage worker organizing and collective bargaining.”

Here are the details: Continue reading

Court rules its ok for a winery worker to wear “Cellar Lives Matter” apparel.

April 1, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Ivan Radic, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Imagine a non-union widget factory in which widget makers want to unionize. As part of the unionizing campaign, one of the widget makers decides to wear a vest on which he writes “Widget Lives Matter.” Management is concerned that this vest is racially insensitive, will foster employee dissension, and potentially become a PR nightmare. So, it orders the employee to remove the vest.

Is this legal? Continue reading

Will the National Labor Relations Board save Scabby the Rat from extermination? 🐭

February 11, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Scabby the Rat, the infamous union picket line protest symbol, fears no cat — especially not this one. Scabby feared no man either, except for Peter Robb, the former General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board.

GC Robb, you see, was on a mission to deflate and exterminate ‘Ol Scabby for good. Continue reading

With a Democrat advantage in Congress, maybe keep on eye on these two pieces of employment legislation

February 8, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Last week, both the House and the Senate re-introduced two pieces of prior legislation. One would overhaul federal labor law — oh, is that all? The second is a new(ish) paid family leave bill that never made it to the President’s desk for signature.

But, this time around, with the Democrats seemingly in control of the House and the Senate –and a Democrat in the Oval Office — might these bills become laws? Continue reading

Eight ways that President Biden changed employment law on Day One. That was fast!!!

January 21, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

On Monday, I blogged about President Biden’s first HR-compliance wish list, which focused on COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

On Wednesday, President Biden was sworn in. And, folks, he wasted no time making moves that will impact labor and employment law. Continue reading

Five ways that a Biden presidency may reshape employment law and HR-compliance

November 9, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Once the networks called the presidential election for Joe Biden over the weekend, something dawned on me. Maybe, I should write about how the new administration may impact employment law.

I mean, what other employment lawyer/blogger would think to do that? Dibs! Continue reading

“Salt Bae” employees complaining about tips are cooking up some new federal claims

October 20, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Terron F.Beckham, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Restauranteur Nusret Gökçe became an internet sensation a few years ago. Basically, he’s famous because he did this. And he’s easy on the eyes. Hence, the nickname “Salt Bae.” Continue reading

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