Working with a unionized workforce requires a strategic long-term view. Applying a collective bargaining agreement to the day-to-day problems that arise in a unionized workforce is a key concern of every unionized employer. Workplace policies must be carefully crafted to deliver the necessary business results without unnecessarily or unfairly penalizing employees. Our lawyers help to manage unionized workforces, and workforces that face potential unionization, by assisting with:
- Setting labor strategy for a unionized workforce;
- Conducting or supporting contract negotiations between the employer and the union;
- Applying the collective bargaining agreement and workplace policies to the workforce in real-time;
- Responding to and handling contractual grievances;
- Labor arbitrations and NLRB proceedings;
- Guiding employers through the complicated regulations that govern union certification elections;
- Working with management to identify long-term labor needs and flashpoints for potential labor unrest;
- Preparing handbooks and employer policies that establish firm workplace rules while furthering positive employee relations; and
- Training managers and supervisors to consistently enforce workplace policies and procedures.
