Editors Note: The ability of our elected officials to define the rules of our economy can make a tremendous difference in our work lives. This change by the current administration highlights the difference between a pro-worker official and one that is company-friendly.
Labor Notes has a very important edition of Stewards Corner in their current newsletter. Does Your Employer Have Illegal Rules On The Books? You may notice several kinds of rules that have been in place for a while here in Wentzville that will need to be reexamined in light of this ruling by the National Labor Relations Board.
On August 2, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), now controlled by Democratic appointees, issued a game-changing decision known as Stericycle. The ruling enables unions to effectively challenge company rules that intimidate or chill workers from engaging in protests, picketing, demonstrations, and other legitimate union activities.
Stericycle overturned the Labor Board’s 2017 Boeing decision, which allowed employers to maintain work rules even if they discouraged workers from taking part in union activities such as rallies, picketing, distributing handouts, wearing strongly worded buttons, or vigorously arguing with supervisors.
A notice at the Ultium Cells battery factory in Lordstown, Ohio, warns against recording. A new National Labor Relations Board ruling may mean rules like this in employee handbooks are invalid. Photo: Labor Notes
