Not Your Father's NLRB

The NLRB’s ambush elections rules are final. Absent court intervention those rules will be effective on April 14, 2015. These are the most significant changes ever made to the rules governing union organizing. While technical and procedural in nature, the net impact will be a dramatic reduction in the time employers have to communicate with employees about the subject of unionization (in many cases providing only 14 to 21 days between petition and election). At the same time, these rules will enhance unions’ ability to communicate with employees by giving unions more contact information (e.g., employees’ home phone numbers and personal email addresses) earlier in the process. These new rules make advance planning and rapid response critical. This year’s Not Your Father’s program will outline our best advice on actions employers must take now if they want to be prepared for this new organizing environment.