Wessels Sherman Offers Help for Newly Unionized Employers Who Fall Victim to the Onslaught of Unions Taking Advantage of the NLRB’s New Ambush Election Rule

May 2015

By: James B. Sherman, Esq.

As many employer groups anticipated there has been a surge in the number of union election petitions filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) since its new rules for conducting union elections went into effect on April 14, 2015. Dubbed “Ambush Elections,” union elections are now being held in roughly half the time as before these new rules went into effect.  Under the former rules that existed for decades, NLRB Regional Directors aimed to hold elections within 42 days of receiving a union organizing petition. However in the first month since the new “Ambush” rules went into effect, elections are taking place on average in just 23 days. Make no mistake – the new rules heavily favor unions in elections.  Oftentimes employers have no meaningful opportunity to respond to union campaigning that may have gone on for months before an election petition was filed. With the significant increase in union organizing drives under the new rules and the expectation that unions will now win more elections than ever before, employers need a helping hand.  Wessels Sherman has taken action by creating its “Guidelines for Newly Unionized Employers.”

For those newly organized employers who have never had to deal with a union, the intricate and complicated federal labor laws can be overwhelming.  The National Labor Relations Act can govern everything from what employers say to their employees, to how and when they say it. Step out of line and face unfair labor practice charges or “ULPs” for short.  To help Wessels Sherman has created an extremely useful summary guide geared specifically for newly organized employers with no existing union contract.  These guidelines address many of the most common and significant issues employers can expect to face when dealing with a new union that has won the right to represent their employees.  These guidelines are useful for employers who have never had a union but also for those who have lost an election but have other union facilities or employee groups.

To receive Wessels Sherman’s valuable “Guidelines for Newly Unionized Employers,” please contact Ms. Chrissy Beggan at (952) 746-1700 or email chbeggan@wesselssherman.com to arrange your personal meeting or teleconference with attorney James Sherman.