Handbook and Guide for Handling Grievances
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Rethinking Precarity and Capitalism: an Interview with Charlie Post
Rethinking Precarity and Capitalism | 247 Rethinking Precarity and Capitalism: An Interview with Charlie Post Jordy Cummings1 (JC): The theme of this year’s Alternate Routes is the “paradox of low-wage, no-wage work”, and there is a great deal of analysis of an allegedly new historical subject, “the precariat”. What do you make of this “paradox”? Is capitalism really that different in 2015 than it was 20, 30, 40 years ago? Charlie Post2 (CP): Capitalism is certainly different today than it was during the so-called “Golden Age” of 1945-1975. During those years, “full-employment” – unemployment below the “frictional” rate of 3-4 percent, the dominance of full-time work with unemployment insurance, health care, pensions and the like (provided by the state, private employers, or some combination) – was the norm. This “full-employment” model also included some measure of job security – either legal or contractual protections from arbitrary dismissal, etc. The “Golden Age” was, in my opinion, exceptional in the history of capitalism. It was the product of a combination of a long period of rising profitability (1933-1966) and a militant labor movement across the industrialized world. Workers had threatened the foundations of capitalist rule (France and Spain in the mid-1930s, France and Italy immediately after World War II, France in 1968, Portugal 1974-1975) or severely disrupted capitalist accumulation in mass strike waves in the mid-1930s, immediate post-war years and again between 1965-1975. Capital was forced to make major concessions to labor. The “full-employment” model and the expansive welfare state were the most important gains, giving workers unprecedented security of employment. -
6' POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER 1515 Public Disclosure Authorized
Wes 6' POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER 1515 Public Disclosure Authorized Indonesia's labor market in Indonesia the I 990s is characterized by rising labor costs, reduced Labor Market Policies and worker productivity,and increasingindustrial unrest. Public Disclosure Authorized International Competitiveness The main problem is generous, centrally Nisha Agrawal mandated, but unenforceable worker benefits. Legislation encouraging enterprise-level collective bargaining might help reduce some of the costs associated with worker unrest. Public Disclosure Authorized Bacground paper for World Development Report 1995 Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank Office of the Vice President Development Economics September 1995 POIjCY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER 15 15 Summary findings Indonesia's labor market in the 1990s is characterized by would be a hefty 12 percent of the wage bill. The other rising labor costs, reduced worker productivity, and problem is that the government has greatlv limited increasing industrial unrest. The main problem is organized labor, viewing it as a threat to political and generous, centrally mandated, but unenforceable worker economic stability. benefits. Legislation encouraging enterprise-level This approach of mandating benefits centrally through collective bargaining might help reduce some of the costs legislation without empowerinig workers to enforce associated with worker unrest. compliance with the legislation (or negotiate their own Policy measures Indonesia adopted in 1986 led to a benefits packages with employers) -
GLOSSARY of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TERMS and SELECTED LABOR TOPICS
GLOSSARY of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TERMS and SELECTED LABOR TOPICS ABEYANCE – The placement of a pending grievance (or motion) by mutual agreement of the parties, outside the specified time limits until a later date when it may be taken up and processed. ACTION - Direct action occurs when any group of union members engage in an action, such as a protest, that directly exposes a problem, or a possible solution to a contractual and/or societal issue. Union members engage in such actions to spotlight an injustice with the goal of correcting it. It further mobilizes the membership to work in concerted fashion for their own good and improvement. ACCRETION – The addition or consolidation of new employees or a new bargaining unit to or with an existing bargaining unit. ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE - A general wage increase that covers all the members of a bargaining unit, regardless of classification, grade or step level. Such an increase may be in terms of a percentage or dollar amount. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE – An agent of the National Labor Relations Board or the public sector commission appointed to docket, hear, settle and decide unfair labor practice cases nationwide or statewide in the public sector. They also conduct and preside over formal hearings/trials on an unfair labor practice complaint or a representation case. AFL-CIO - The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is the national federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of fifty-six national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million active and retired workers. -
Shop Steward Glossary
The Shop Steward Glossary Canadian Labour Congress CanadianLabour.CA The Shop Steward Glossary Across-the-board adjustment Change in pay rates made for all employees in a workplace or particular group. Adjudication The equivalent to grievance arbitration; a method under the Public Service Employee Relations Act of providing a settlement of disputes arising out of the terms of any Agreement. Affiliated union A union which is a member of a group of unions. Affirmative action Affirmative action is a comprehensive strategy whose aim is to establish the same percentage of minority group members and women at all levels of the workplaces and unions as there are in the general population. Agency shop A clause in a collective agreement similar to the Rand Formula. Agreement, collective A contract (agreement and contract are interchangeable terms) between one or more unions, acting as bargaining agent, and one or more employee covering wages, hours, working conditions, fringe benefits, rights of workers and union, and procedures to be followed in settling disputes and grievances. Arbitration A method of settling disputes through the intervention of a third party whose decision is final and binding. Such a third party can be either a single arbitrator, or a board consisting of a chairperson and one or more representatives. Arbitration is often used to settle major grievances and for settling contract interpretation disputes. Voluntary arbitration is that agreed to by the parties without statutory compulsion. Compulsory arbitration is that imposed by law. Governments sometimes impose it to avoid a strike or end one. Assessments Special charges levied by unions to meet particular financial needs. -
Restoring Equity in Right-To-Work Law
Restoring Equity in Right-to-Work Law Catherine L. Fisk & Benjamin I. Sachs* Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 857 I. Reading Section 14(b) ................................................................................................. 860 II. A Genuine Right to Be Nonunion .......................................................................... 866 III. Removing the Obligation to Represent Nonmembers for Free ...................... 874 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 879 INTRODUCTION Under United States labor law, when a majority of employees in a bargaining unit choose union representation, all employees in the unit are then represented by the union and the union must represent all of the employees equally.1 Twenty-four states, however, have enacted laws granting such union-represented employees the right to refuse to pay the union for the services the union is legally obligated to provide.2 Although the name prompts strong objection from union supporters, these laws are known as “right-to-work” laws. Right-to-work laws have been around for decades,3 but they have come to national prominence again as another round of states has enacted the legislation. Michigan—a state with relatively high levels of union density4—enacted a right-to- work statute in 2012, and Indiana became a right-to-work state in 2010.5 As a * The authors are, respectively, Chancellor’s Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine School of Law, and Kestnbaum Professor of Labor and Industry, Harvard Law School. Professor Fisk thanks Daniel Schieffer, and Professor Sachs thanks Ani Gevorkian for excellent research assistance. 1. National Labor Relations Act § 9, 29 U.S.C. § 159(a) (2012). 2. Right to Work Resources, NAT’L CONF. ST. LEGISLATURES, http://www.ncsl.org/issues -research/labor/right-to-work-laws-and-bills.aspx (last visited Sept. -
The NLRB Takes Notice to the Max in Paramax Dennis M
Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal Volume 11 | Issue 1 Article 1 1993 The NLRB Takes Notice to the Max in Paramax Dennis M. Devaney Susan E. Kehoe Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarlycommons.law.hofstra.edu/hlelj Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Devaney, Dennis M. and Kehoe, Susan E. (1993) "The NLRB Takes Notice to the Max in Paramax," Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, Article 1. Available at: http://scholarlycommons.law.hofstra.edu/hlelj/vol11/iss1/1 This document is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarly Commons at Hofstra Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons at Hofstra Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Devaney and Kehoe: The NLRB Takes Notice to the Max in Paramax HOFSTRA LABOR LAW JOURNAL Volume 11, No. 1 Fall 1993 ARTICLES THE NLRB TAKES NOTICE TO THE MAX IN PARAMAX Dennis M. Devaney with Susan E. Kehoe*" I. OVERVIEW A. Paramax and its Significance In a departure from the traditional interpretation of Section 8(b)(1)(A) of the National Labor Relations Act,' the National Labor * BA., M.A., University of Maryland; J.D., Georgetown University; Member, National Labor Relations Board. ** BA., Trinity College; M.A., ID., Tulane University; Assistant Chief Counsel to Member Dennis M. Devaney of the National Labor Relations Board. 1. Section 8(b)(1)(A) of the National Labor Relations Act provides that- [i]t shall be an unfair labor practice for a labor organization or its agents - (1) to restrain or coerce (A) employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7: Provided, That this paragraph shall not impair the right of a labor orga- nization to prescribe its own rules with respect to the acquisition or retention of Published by Scholarly Commons at Hofstra Law, 1993 1 Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal, Vol. -
Union Issues in the Solid Waste Industry
archive LittlerThis article recently appeared in the National Solid Wastes Management Association, September 2005. Union Issues in the Solid Waste Industry by Ronald J. Holland and Philip Paturzo Summary sentatives of employees for collec- rates above the national average. In tive bargaining purposes, and the contrast, states in the Southeast and Union membership in America has bargaining process itself. It also Southwest tended to have far less been in a downward spiral for the addresses recent strikes in the in- union density. past 50 years. However, this does dustry and the ways employers can not mean that the private solid prepare in advance to reduce the Given the steady decline in union waste industry can rest easy. Be- impact of a strike. Finally, the pa- membership throughout the coun- cause the type of work performed per looks at management initiatives try, the private solid waste industry by industry employees cannot be that should be used to reduce the should not be concerned about new sent abroad to reduce labor costs possibility that employees will seek organizing efforts, right? Wrong. and the nature of the business is union representation. recession-resistant, unions recently The Teamsters boasts that it rep- have targeted solid waste compa- Background resents over 25,000 private solid nies. Specifically, the International waste industry workers.2 And it is Brotherhood of Teamsters, the larg- Labor unions have existed in not content to stop there. In 2004, est union player in the field, has America since the 1800s. By the Teamsters President James P. Hoffa publicly vowed to unionize private mid-1950s, at the height of the la- said: “It is the priority of the Team- solid waste companies nationwide bor movement, roughly 35 percent sters Union to bring justice to solid and has expended significant re- of the American workforce was waste workers throughout the coun- sources to achieve that goal. -
1.3 Recent Board & Department of Labor Activity on Union Organizing
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Michael G. Pedhirney is a shareholder in the San Francisco office of Littler Mendelson, P.C., the largest U.S.-based law firm exclusively devoted to representing management in labor and employment law. Michael focuses on the representation of management in a broad range of labor and employment law matters, particularly collective bargaining and matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In addition to appearing in state and federal courts and before the NLRB, Michael also represents employers in collective bargaining and handles arbitrations and mediations. Karen A. Sundermier, in her current role as a Knowledge Management Counsel for Littler, helped design Littler LaborSmart™, an interactive, online tool that allows in-house legal and labor relations professionals to access all of their company’s collective bargaining agreements in a structured, searchable database. The tool allows companies to swiftly identify and compare language for contract administration, grievance, and negotiation purposes. Prior to turning her focus to offering strategic and innovative legal service solutions, Karen represented employers in a broad spectrum of employment and labor matters and assisted employers with representation elections and collective bargaining as a Littler associate and in- house employment counsel. She currently serves as an editor for Littler’s publications on labor relations topics. © 2018 LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. i COVERAGE Scope of Discussion. This publication explains union election procedures and the NLRB’s role in overseeing elections. It also explores NLRB precedent on objectionable conduct by different parties that may result in election results being overturned. Also included is information concerning actions employers are permitted to take and are prohibited from taking in advance of and in response to union organizing drives. -
In the Supreme Court of the United States
No. 14-915 In the Supreme Court of the United States _____________________________________ REBECCA FRIEDRICHS, ET AL., PETITIONER, v. CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, ET AL., RESPONDENT. _____________________________________ ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT _____________________________________ BRIEF FOR PETITIONERS _____________________________________ DANIELLE J. MCCALL PETER J. MARDIAN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LAW SCHOOL 3501 Sansom St. Philadelphia, PA 19104 Counsel for Petitioners October 16, 2015 i QUESTIONS PRESENTED Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, in authorizing public-sector agency shops, empowered States to condition public employment on union support. Under this regime, public employees must finance union collective bargaining practices, irrespective of their personal ideologies. As a provision of agency-shop arrangements, opt-out procedures require nonmembers to affirmatively object to subsidizing the unions’ purely political endeavors. 1. Should Abood v. Detroit Board of Education be overruled, and public-sector agency shops invalidated under the First Amendment? 2. With affirmative consent as a viable alternative, does it violate the First Amendment to require nonmembers to annually and affirmatively object to financially supporting unions’ political speech? ii PARTIES TO THE PROCEEDING Petitioners, Plaintiffs-Appellants below, are: Rebecca Friedrichs; Scott Wilford; Jelena Figueroa; George W. White, Jr.; Kevin Roughton; Peggy Searcy; Jose Manso; Harlan Elrich; Karen -
Collective Bargaining Agreement
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNITED GOVERNMENT SECURITY OFFICERS OF AMERICA, INTERNATIONAL UNION AND UNITED GOVERNMENT SECURITY OFFICERS OF AMERICA LOCAL 161 AND AKAL SECURITY, INCORPORATED July 1,2011 through September 30, 2014 UGSOA IU, UGSOA Local 161 with Akal, 07.01.2011-09.30.2014 MISSION STATEMENT COURT SECURITY OFFICER • Ensure the safety of US Federal Courts, Protected Government facilities and their employees against unauthorized, illegal and potentially life-threatening activities. • Cadres of qualified and highly skilled officers perform this mission. CSO Goal & Vision Goal To conduct ourselves in a manner as to bring credit upon the Court Security Officer and Special Security Officer program and the United States Marshal Service at all times. Vision To be alert to all situations and events that take place and take necessary measures to prevent dangerous situations from happening. UGSOA IU, UGSOA Local 161 with Akal, 07.0l.2011-09.30.2014 2 ARTICLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS SECTION 1.1 PARTIES This agreement is entered into by and between Akal Security, Incorporated a New Mexico corporation, hereinafter referred to as the "Company" or "Employer", United Government Security Officers of America, International Union (UGSOA, IV), and UGSOA Local 161 (hereinafter referred to as the Union). The Company recognizes the Union as the sole and exclusive bargaining representative, of the bargaining unit for the purpose of collective bargaining as defined in the National Labor Relations Act. This agreement shall be binding upon all parties, their successor's and assigns. In the event of the sale or transfer of the business of the employer, or any part thereof, the purchaser or transferee shall be bound by this agreement. -
Waiver of Beck Rights and Resignation Rights: Infusing the Union- Member Relationship with Individualized Commitment
Catholic University Law Review Volume 43 Issue 1 Fall 1993 Article 6 1993 Waiver of Beck Rights and Resignation Rights: Infusing the Union- Member Relationship With Individualized Commitment Heidi Marie Werntz Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview Recommended Citation Heidi M. Werntz, Waiver of Beck Rights and Resignation Rights: Infusing the Union-Member Relationship With Individualized Commitment, 43 Cath. U. L. Rev. 159 (1994). Available at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview/vol43/iss1/6 This Comments is brought to you for free and open access by CUA Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Catholic University Law Review by an authorized editor of CUA Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COMMENTS WAIVER OF BECK RIGHTS AND RESIGNATION RIGHTS: INFUSING THE UNION-MEMBER RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIVIDUALIZED COMMITMENT* "[T]he struggle of man against power has been the struggle of memory against forgetting."1 Traditionally, the obligation to pay dues' has been considered to arise from only two sources: union membership3 and union security agree- ments.4 Union membership requires the employee to contribute dues in * First Place, John H. Fanning Labor Law Writing Competition, Columbus School of Law, the Catholic University of America, 1992. 1. MILAN KUNDERA, THE BOOK OF LAUGHTER AND FORGETrING 3 (Michael H. Heim trans., Penguin Books 1986) (1978). 2. Unions garner the bulk of their revenue from the payment of dues and assess- ments by the employees they represent. See Jennifer Friesen, The Costs of "Free Speech"-Restrictions on the Use of Union Dues to Fund New Organizing, 15 HAsTINGS CONST. -
2013: 880 ULP Ex Dir Decision on Merits ILA 1694 1 V DSPC Work
STATE of DELAWARE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION, ) LOCAL 1694-1, AFL-CIO, ) ) Charging Party, ) ULP 12-11-880 ) v. ) Decision on the Merits ) DIAMOND STATE PORT CORPORATION, ) ) Respondent. ) Appearances Bernard N. Katz, Esq., Meranze, Katz, Gaudioso & Newlin, P.C. for ILA Local 1694-1 Scott A. Holt, Esq, Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor, for Diamond State Port Corporation BACKGROUND The State of Delaware is a public employer within the meaning of 19 Del. C. §1302(p) of the Public Employment Relations Act, 19 Del.C. Chapter 13 (“PERA”). Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) is an agency of the State. DSPC operates the Port of Wilmington which is located in Wilmington, Delaware. The International Longshoremen’s Association, Local 1694-1, (“ILA”) is an employee representative within the meaning of 19 Del.C. §1302(i). By and through its affiliated Local 1694-1, the ILA is the exclusive bargaining representative of a bargaining unit of DSPC employees within the meaning of 19 Del.C. §1302(j). ILA Local 1694-1 and DSPC are parties to a current collective bargaining agreement 5805 which has a term of October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2013. On or about November 16, 2012, the ILA filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Public Employment Relations Board (“PERB”) alleging conduct by the DSPC in violation of §1307(a)(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7).1 Specifically, the Charge alleges “sometime in 2010 or early 2011, the employer arranged to have certain bargaining unit work performed by a private contractor on the premises of Diamond State Port Corporation which was bargaining unit work.” Charge ¶4.