Labor Policy Task Force
The Hunton & Williams LLP Labor Policy Task Force is comprised of approximately 15 lawyers each of whom has extensive experience in the practice of traditional labor law. The purpose of the Task Force is to provide our clients and our lawyers with up to date information and analysis regarding proposed legislation, regulatory developments and cases decided by the courts, agencies and administrative law judges. The Task Force is geared toward developing position statements, white papers and other research documents to assist our clients in influencing proposed legislation and policy making. Members of the Task Force have been active in meeting with federal legislators and providing support for lobbying activities regarding the Employee Free Choice Act and other labor related legislation. Most importantly, the Task Force supports and acts as a resource for our traditional labor practice.
The firm has had a traditional labor practice for well over 50 years. Our client base includes companies who do not have unions and wish to remain non-union as well as companies who have historical union relationships. As a consequence, we regularly handle a wide range of labor relations matters, including union representational proceedings, unfair labor practice charges, labor arbitrations, collective bargaining, and strike contingency planning. Through our ProWorkplace subsidiary, we have developed highly effective training programs for supervisors on a variety of labor relations topics, including programs on managing a union work force, maintaining a union-free work force, collective bargaining strategy, and conducting work place investigations.
Corporate Campaigns. We have extensive experience representing our corporate clients who have been the targets of corporate campaigns by labor unions and other organizations. Our Task Force maintains information, both electronically and hard copy, regarding corporate campaigns and the tactics used by those who promote them.
Union Representation Petitions. We have represented companies in over 500 election petitions. Our Task Force maintains a database and library regarding union elections, specific national, international and local unions and union organizing campaign materials. We typically handle a representational matter from the pre-petition stage through post-election proceedings, including hearings on objections to election conduct, unfair labor practice blocking charges, and appellate proceedings before the NLRB or the courts.
Our representation of employers in union organizational attempts involves not only legal representation in proceedings before the NLRB but also the full range of advice and services applicable to the employer’s campaign strategy and its communications efforts.
Unfair Labor Practice Charges. When unfair labor practice charges are filed, we handle not only the investigation stage of the case but also any subsequent proceeding, including trials before an administrative law judge, and related appellate proceedings. Our Task Force provides litigation assistance to our lawyers handling various aspects of unfair practice proceedings. Because so many of our Task Force members have extensive NLRB experience, they can be of significant assistance at any stage of the ULP process. We have a track record of successfully defending clients who are charged with committing unfair labor practices and are skilled at advising clients on how to meet their business objectives through measures that do not run afoul of the law.
The foregoing cases are representative of our experience in unfair labor practice proceedings but are by no means a complete list. We have handled literally hundreds of unfair labor practice charges for employers in various industries throughout the United States.
Arbitrations. Our attorneys handle a large number of labor arbitrations each year which are processed through the grievance/arbitration procedure of collective bargaining agreements. Our Task Force maintains a database concerning arbitrators and their track records which assists our lawyers in advising clients concerning the selection of arbitrators. We have handled over 1500 labor arbitrations for clients in various industries, including package delivery, chemical, tobacco, mining, power generation, steel fabrication, packaging, paper manufacturing, hotel and restaurant, health care, and telecommunications.
Collective Bargaining / Response to Strikes. Our labor attorneys regularly assist clients in preparation for collective bargaining. On many occasions, we serve as the principal negotiator for the client and help determine the successful strategy for achieving our client’s business goals. Again, because our Task Force members have negotiated literally hundreds of collective bargaining agreements, our lawyers are always supported by a wealth collective bargaining experience. In addition, the Task Force maintains a library of collective bargaining agreements, model clauses and contract articles. We also help train the members of the employer’s negotiating team in the art of negotiations. For many clients, we prepare strike contingency plans, including guidelines on communications to employees and the public, and we provide advice on how best to deal with personnel and benefit issues that typically arise during a work stoppage. We also work closely with the client’s security team to address important security concerns and provide advice on steps to preserve evidence that may be necessary to support an injunction if a strike should occur. Finally, when necessary, we obtain injunctions and other sanctions against offending parties when our clients’ property, collective bargaining or business rights have been violated.
Section 301 and 303 litigation. In addition to the injunction actions described above, we also have substantial experience in representing companies in civil actions for damages or other relief brought in the federal courts under Section 301 and Section 303 of the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA). These actions have involved a variety of claims, including breach of contract allegations, secondary boycott violations, violations of no-strike obligations, unfair representation allegations, and suits to set aside labor arbitration decisions.
Conclusion. Because members of our Task Force individually have as much as 40 years of traditional labor law experience, our lawyers are well-supported in virtually every aspect of a traditional labor practice.
Contact
Gregory B. Robertson | grobertson@hunton.com | (804) 788-8526
