Articles and Blogs

Sometimes having a good No-Solicitation and No-Distribution Policy is not good enough when supervisors warn about activities that aren’t covered by otherwise lawful policies.  In this case a hospital that was having problems with its incumbent union had previously established a pretty good policy.  That policy provided: “Solicitation/ Distribution.  Employees are forbidden from soliciting... READ MORE

According to long standing NLRB doctrine, in healthcare facilities, restrictions on wearing non-official buttons and insignia in immediate patient care areas are valid. But if there is selective enforcement of the restrictions singles out union related buttons and insignia then there is a problem unless the hospital can show that the restriction was “necessary... READ MORE

The Right-to-Work movement notched a victory in February 2012 when Indiana became the latest state to pass Right-to-Work legislation.  This article discusses Right-to-Work implications for employers and employees working in both unionized and non-union environments. The Battle for Employees’ Right-to-Work in Indiana On February 1, 2012, Indiana became the 23rd state to adopt a... READ MORE

Representative John Kline of Minnesota introduced the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act last week in response to recent NLRB actions affecting employers.  One aspect of this Bill is the reversal of the NLRB’s Specialty Healthcare decision which altered the established standard for determining collective bargaining units in non-acute care health facilities.    READ MORE

In a 3-1 decision released yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided the Specialty Healthcare case favoring the ability of small units of employees to unionize.  Overruling the established Park Manor standard, the NLRB ruled that just the 53 CNAs at a nursing facility could organize as one collective bargaining unit.   READ MORE

A case currently pending before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), as mentioned here, is expected to be decided and released within the next few months.  This case, Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Mobile, has been pending before the Board since December of 2010, and, if decided as expected by those following the case,... READ MORE

As Mr. Lyman pointed out last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) now requires private employers to post a Notice of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).  A recent New York Times article on this new requirement discusses an upcoming decision by the NLRB that is expected to address unionization... READ MORE