Labor Relations Today

Retail Groups Join Macy's in Fight Against Micro-Unions: Stewart Bishop of Law360 ($$) reports that the National Labor Relations Board has granted a request from the Retail Litigation Center (RLC) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) to file a brief in support of Macy's against the recognition of a "micro-union" at one of its Massachusetts retail stores.

“The introduction of multiple bargaining units in a single store would set employees against each other, prompt competition for benefits, impair employee morale and increase the risk for disruptive labor disputes ostensibly involving small pockets of employees, but which would envelop all store employees,” the trade groups said in the brief.

Macy's contends that the only appropriate bargaining unit at the Massachusetts store is a "wall-to-wall" unit. The idea of micro-unions grew out of the 2011 Specialty Healthcare decision. The decision was blasted by retail groups because it changed the way the Board thinks about an "appropriate bargaining unit." 

UPMC Settles Litany of Board Complaints: Steve Twedt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has settled more than 80 unfair labor practice charges filed against it by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. The settlement provides that UPMC management must undergo training regarding labor law compliance. Furthermore, workers who were terminated due to their attempts to organize a union at UPMC will be reinstated with almost full back pay. The UPMC released the following statement: 

"The settlement terminates an overstated and disruptive collection of allegations initiated by a labor union that has been attempting to draw attention to itself for more than a year. We look forward to closing this chapter and returning our attention to delivering the excellent patient care for which we are well-known."

 “What we’re hoping to accomplish is that Walmart would come out and recognize us as an organization,” Harris told The Nation. “Because we do exist. And that they would adhere to what they said they would do, which is not violate our federal rights and try to silence workers.”