Class 3 outlines

Collective bargaining obligations

Introduction
Multiemployer bargaining
- Employers’ and union’s consent
  - Sample employer bargaining rights authorization
- Contractor withdrawal: SQ 1
  - Retail Associates, 120 NLRB 388 (1958)
  - Unequivocal notice
  - Timely: Art XVIII
  - Unusual circumstances: not just impasse or strike
    - Bonanno v. NLRB, 454 U.S. 404 (1982)
    - Not lack of notice: Chel LaCort, 315 NLRB 154 (1994)
    - Not secrecy: D.A. Nolt, 340 NLRB 152 (2003)
  - Obligation after withdrawal: SQ 2
Good-faith bargaining
- Strong policy: 29 USC § 158 (a)(5), (b)(3), (d)
- Refusal (ULP) seen in conduct
- Reasonable times and places
- Agreement not required
  - Impasse
  - Interest arbitration

Collective bargaining subjects

NLRB v. Borg-Warner, 356 U.S. 342 (1958)
Mandatory subjects
- Wages and compensation
- Fringe benefits
- Work hours, loads, rules
- Safety practices
- Grievance procedures
- Meals, discounts, services
- Subcontracting: Fibreboard v. NLRB, 379 U.S. 203 (1964)
- Union security clauses
- No-strike clauses
- Drug testing for employees, not applicants
Permissive subjects
- Bargaining unit scope
- Multiemployer bargaining
- Supervisor contract terms
- Negotiators’ designation
- Agreement ratification
- Interest arbitration: SQ 3
- IAF, PAC contributions
- Litigation settlement
- Business termination
Illegal subjects
- Closed shop
- Certain “hot cargo” agreements: 29 USC § 158(e)

Collective bargaining structure

Definitions
- Informal v. formal structure
- Election v. bargaining unit
Determinants
- Region
- Branch of industry
Single trade negotiations
- Advantages
- Informal comparisons
- Two-part decision
- Disadvantages
National agreements
- Parties
- Terms
- Problems

Project labor agreements

Sample: King County Brightwater Treatment Plant
Not preempted: BCTC v. ABC, 507 U.S. 218 (1993)

Federal: Pres. Clinton’s memo (5 June 97)

Open Competition and Fairness Act
- HR 1378/S 606 (1997), S 1194 (1999), HR 99 (2001), HR 106 (2003)
GAO report (29 May 98); ABC opposition
Pres. Bush’s EO 13202 (17 Feb 01) amended by 13208 (6 Apr 01)

Editorial: “Power grab”
The Wall Street Journal (15 Feb 01)
- Democrats’ reaction: HR 1360 (2001)
- Government Neutrality in Contracting Act
  - S 740/S 962/HR 2055 (2001), HR 2269/HR 2293 (2003), HR 1449 (2005), HR 2558/S 1597 (2007), S 90 (2009)
- BCTD v. Allbaugh (D.C. Cir. 2002)
  
  “Appeals court upholds Bush’s
  ban on project labor agreements”
  Engineering News-Record (16 July 02)
- US Supreme Court denies petition (2003)
  
  “Supreme Court upholds Bush ban on
  discriminatory union-only contracting”
  National Right to Work LDF (28 Jan 03)

Pres. Obama’s reversal (6 Feb 09) new

“Unions look forward to Obama’s promised project agreement order” Engineering News-Record (7 Nov 08)
“Obama sends labor another bouquet” The Boston Globe (6 Feb 09)
“Hoffa applauds Obama executive order on project labor agreements” Teamsters (6 Feb 09)
“Obama signs 4th pro-union regulation” The Washington Times (7 Feb 09)

WA: Gov. Lowry’s EO 96-08 (6 Dec 96)

“Sound Transit gets in the
middle of hot debate on PLAs”
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (31 Mar 99)

Opinion: “Sound Transit-union
deal would hurt workers, public”
The Seattle Times (15 June 99)

“Port to negotiate labor
agreement for Sea-Tac work”
The Seattle Times (24 July 99)

“Bush executive order sparks
hope for nonunion builders’ groups”
Puget Sound Business Journal (20 Feb 01)

“State can’t guarantee unions quake work”
The Seattle Times (29 Mar 01)

“Locke lifts union rule for Capitol repairs”
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (2 Apr 01)

Editorial: “Capitol dome
shines light on labor deals”
The Seattle Times (4 Apr 01)

“Sims favors PLA for Harborview job”
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (8 Apr 02)

“Harborview PLA vote set for Monday”
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (16 Apr 02)

“Harborview PLA gets County OK”
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (30 Apr 02)

“Bidders object to Sound Transit’s
pick for rail project, threaten suit”
The Seattle Times (9 Jan 04)

“Sound Transit can sign contract, says judge”
The Seattle Times (12 Feb 04)

OR: HB 2404 (1999), SB 459 (2001), HB 2413 (2007) to prohibit public PLA requirement
OH: State BCTC v. Cuyahoga County (2002)

“Ohio Supreme Court Strikes down ban
on discriminatory union-only contracting”
National Right to Work LDF (3 Jan 03)

“Bottom-up” organizing

Employment factors
- Wages and fringe benefits
- Supervision
- Grievance procedure
- Personal treatment

Union objective and campaign

Field representative barred from employer’s property
- Lechmere v. NLRB, 502 U.S. 527 (1992)
Employees’ role

Authorization cards: IBEW sample

Over 50% authorization

Employer “good faith doubt”
- NLRB v. Gissel Packing, 395 U.S. 575 (1969)
- Linden Lumber v. NLRB, 419 U.S. 301 (1974)

“Neutrality agreements” (“card check”)

Dana Corp., 341 NLRB 150 (2004)

“Labor board ruling threatens union recruiting”
Reuters (10 June 04)

“Unions worry NLRB will end organizing tool”
The Boston Globe (18 Dec 04)

Dana Corp., 351 NLRB 28 (2007)

“National Right to Work secures new rights for employees
to protect against abusive union ‘card check’ organizing”
National Right to Work LDF (2 Oct 07)

“NLRB modifies ‘recognition bar’ doctrine to permit
employees and rival unions to file election petitions”
Littler Mendelson PC (Oct 07)

Employee Free Choice Act

HR 3619/S 1925 (2003), HR 1696/S 842 (2005), HR 800/S 1041 (2007)

“When voting isn’t private” The Center for Union Facts (Dec 06)
Editorial: “Recognizing Labor” The Nation (17 Dec 06)
“Union recognition—secret ballot elections and card check coercion” US Chamber of Commerce (4 Jan 07)
“The Secret Ballot Destruction Act” The American Spectator (23 Jan 07)
“Labor nails big win as House passes bill” The Seattle Times (2 Mar 07)
“Employee Free Choice Act” NPR (21 June 07)
“Republican senators block union bill” The Seattle Times (27 June 07)
Opinion: “Beyond the Labor Board” The Nation (3 Jan 08)
“Employee Free Choice Act would disenfranchise 105 million workers” The Heritage Foundation (7 Jan 08)
“After push for Obama, unions seek new rules” The New York Times (8 Nov 08)
“A labor-union problem looms for Obama” Los Angeles Times (16 Nov 08)
“Unions look for new life in world of Obama” The New York Times (28 Dec 08)
“Are unions dead, or just getting started?” Fox Business (2 Jan 09)
“Tough choices ahead for workers” Mackinac Center for Public Policy (5 Jan 09)
“With Senate hearing, preparing for change at top of Labor Dept.” The New York Times (9 Jan 09)
“Hilda Solis deflects Republican questions over union issues” Los Angeles Times (10 Jan 09)
“Panelists raise concerns about union bill” The Business Review (Albany) (16 Jan 09)
Editorial: “Pragmatist-in-Chief” The Washington Post (16 Jan 09)
Opinion: “Bill would allow unions to expand at all costs” The Boston Globe (18 Jan 09)
“Card check issue stalls panel’s vote on nominee” Las Vegas Sun (23 Jan 09)
Opinion: “An early Obama test: unions vs. business” The Boston Globe (23 Jan 09)
Opinion: “The union way up” Los Angeles Times (26 Jan 09)
“Reid: Vote on card check bill, a labor priority, likely in summer” Las Vegas Sun (27 Jan 09)

AFL-CIO support

Over 30% authorization
Secret Ballot Protection Act
- HR 4343/S 2637 (2004), HR 874/S 1173 (2005), HR 866/S 1312 (2007)
  - US Chamber of Commerce support

Representation election
- NLRB role: 29 USC § 159
- Election petition: 30% determination
- Representation hearing: appropriate unit
- Timing: too early? too late?
- Contract bar
- Election: tally and objections
NLRB certification
- If employer wins
- If union wins
  - Employer obligation
    - Agri Processor v. NLRB, 514 F.3d 1 (D.C. Cir. 2008)
      - US Supreme Court denies petition (17 Nov 08)
        
        “Supreme Court rejects appeal on
        aliens’ right to vote in union elections”
        World of Work (Stoel Rives) (25 Nov 08)
  - Area agreement
  - Impasse
  - Labor Relations First Contract Negotiations Act
    - HR 1412 (1999), HR 652 (2001), HR 93 (2003), HR 101 (2005), HR 142 (2007), HR 243 (2009)
- Election results: Dec 2008

Union hierarchy

Convention
- Functions
- Election methods: delegates or referendum
Elected officers
- General president
- Secretary-treasurer
- Executive board
Appointed officials
- Professional staff
- International representative
Intermediate level
- District council: Carpenters, Laborers, Painters
- Joint board
Local
- Elected officials
  - President
  - Business agent
  - Vice presidents
  - Recording and financial secretaries
  - Sergeant at arms
- Committees
  - Executive
  - Negotiating
  - Grievance
- Steward
- Professional staff
- Jurisdiction
- Politics
  - Minority control
  - Small attendance
  - Elections

Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959: 29 USC ch 11

Union members’ “bill of rights”: 29 USC § 411
Administered by DOL’s Office of Labor-Management Standards
Business agent: SMWIA v. Lynn, 488 U.S. 347 (1989)
HR 4053, 4054, 4055, 4636, 5373, 5374 (2002); 992, 994 (2003), 1074 (2005)

DOL’s reporting rule (9 Oct 03)

“Labor Department seeks to
improve union financial reporting”
US Dept of Labor (20 Dec 02)

“Final union transparency reform
rule issued by Department of Labor”
US Dept of Labor (3 Oct 03)

“Secretary Chao on court’s OK
of new union transparency rule”
US Dept of Labor (23 Jan 04)

AFL-CIO v. Chao (D.C. Cir. 2005)

View union annual financial reports
- UA Local 32: 30 June 08
- UA national: 30 June 08

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO): 18 USC ch 96
- DOL’s Office of Inspector General: Labor Racketeering Program

Recent developments

Laborers
- Serpico v. LIUNA, 97 F.3d 995 (7th Cir. 1996)
- Federal oversight to 2006
- Reformers
Teamsters
- 1996 general election rerun costs
  - US v. IBT, 172 F.3d 217 (2d Cir. 1999)
- Hoffa defeats TDU’s Leedham again (Nov 06)

Carpenters

“Carpenters fill out the lineup
in reunified building trades”
Engineering News-Record (9 Dec 02)

Editorial: “Bush’s labor buddy”
The Wall Street Journal (15 Jan 03)

“Affiliation of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters”
AFL-CIO (6 Aug 03)

Reformers CDUI

AUD: union democracy
NLPC’s organized labor accountability project

AFL-CIO unsuccessful reform from within

“AFL-CIO chief facing challenges from labor’s left”
The Washington Post (4 Jan 05)

“Time’s up for the NUP”
The American Prospect (18 Jan 05)

“The fight for our future”
In These Times (21 Jan 05)

Change to Win Federation

Opinion: “A tough year for the AFL-CIO” Townhall.com (20 July 05)
Opinion: “A union? ‘What’s in it for me?’” Seattle Post-Intelligencer (21 July 05)
“State effect uncertain from split of AFL-CIO” The Seattle Times (26 July 05)
“Labor’s big split: Pain before gain” The Washington Post (26 July 05)
Commentary: “Union disunity” The Christian Science Monitor (27 July 05)
Opinion: “Organizing labor: It all starts at the grass roots” Seattle Post-Intelligencer (28 July 05)
“Labor split a ‘failed power grab,’ says Sweeney” Seattle Post-Intelligencer (29 July 05)
“Longtime union members troubled over dissident split” The Christian Science Monitor (29 July 05)
“Split of top unions raises debates on Labor Day” The Washington Post (5 Sept 05)
“Breakaway union pushes organizing” Forbes/Oxford Analytica (18 Apr 06)
“Reorganized labor” Society for Human Resource Mgmt (Jan 08)
“Labor calls for unity after years of division” The New York Times (7 Jan 09)
Blog: “Behind the labor merger talks” The Atlantic (9 Jan 09)

“Solidarity Charters” among AFL-CIO, CTW

Union finances

Significance
- Costly activities
- Local autonomy
- Fluctuations
Sources
- Dues: recall CWA v. Beck, 487 U.S. 735 (1988)
- Fees
- Special assessments
- Investment income
Variations
- Craft unions
- Industrial unions