Labor Management Relations
Trusted advisers who help companies with all aspects of their relationships with unions.
WHY LOCKE LORD
Locke Lord's Labor Law Practice encompasses the entire spectrum of issues involving employer relations with unions. From planning union avoidance strategies through the handling of union representation elections, our lawyers have helped dozens of employers remain union-free. And if the employees are represented by a union, we work to help our clients negotiate the best possible deal — whether at the bargaining table or "behind the scenes," achieving the company bargaining goals while avoiding unfair labor practice claims.
When Locke Lord is engaged to handle unfair labor practice charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), our lawyers have a record of convincing NLRB Regional Offices to not issue a complaint or of securing a decision in favor of clients before an Administrative Law Judge. In addition, we regularly advise clients how to avoid and/or defend union grievances and have handled hundreds of arbitrations with unions. Also, we frequently counsel employers on union contract interpretation issues as well as the discipline and discharge of union-represented employees.
Fortunately, our clients rarely experience a strike. When a union does call a strike, however, our lawyers help the employer continue business operations while defeating the union's attempt to obtain greater benefits for its members than the company provided or offered pre-strike. Strikes and lockouts should be a last resort. Accordingly, Locke Lord lawyers pride themselves on offering creative solutions to battles between employers and unions and, in doing so, minimizing disruption in the workplace and avoiding employers being saddled with NLRB hearings, arbitrations or litigation that could not only cost tens of thousands of dollars but also result in an outsider determining their employees' terms and conditions of employment. Locke Lord’s Labor Law Practice utilizes a wealth of experience to ensure that our clients retain the right to manage their operations without undue burdens.