Friday, November 15, 2013

WIRTW #297 (the “Mulhall” edition)


On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Unite Here Local 355 v. Mulhall. This case will decide (hopefully) whether labor unions can legally circumnavigate the secret-ballot election procedures of the National Labor Relations Act by reaching agreements with employers to recognize labor unions upon a presentation of recognition cards signed by a majority of employees.

My favorite exchange from the oral argument illustrates my concern over the coercive nature of card-check recognition:

CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: Well, will you … concede that [card check agreements are] more coercive than a secret ballot? … The union organizer comes up to you and says, well, here’s a card. You can check I want to join the union, or two, I don’t want a union. Which will it be? And there’s a bunch of your fellow workers gathered around as you fill out the card.

JUSTICE SCALIA: And he’s a big guy.

(Laughter.)

Here’s what some of my fellow bloggers had to say in the wake of the Mulhall oral argument:

Here’s the rest of what I read this week:

Discrimination

Social Media & Workplace Technology

HR & Employee Relations