Since the firm began, our clients have come to expect practical, constructive advice that considers their best interests.
Labor Relations: Contract Administration
Our attorneys assist clients with the day to day administration of collective bargaining agreements. How the provisions of agreements with labor unions are applied will create practices that ultimately may give meaning to the words of the agreements. No bargaining agreement addresses every situation that arises in the work place. Therefore, we are often asked to interpret contract language in light of certain specific facts. We render our advice both orally and in written legal opinions. As we engage in this daily work, we develop strong relationships with our clients and gain the background and understanding that enable us to give prompt, practical and effective advice.
We are most often consulted about discipline and discharge issues. Almost all bargaining agreements contain provisions that provide job protections. When employee conduct and performance problems arise, our clients contact us to review the employee’s work history and recommend a sustainable course of action to address the problem. We also provide frequent counsel about the administration of benefit provisions and coordination of the bargaining agreement provisions with outside law such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, state wage and hour laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act, Workers’ Compensation laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
When employers with a unionized work force contemplate changes in employee working conditions, we advise them about whether they have an obligation to bargain with the unions before implementing the changes. Issues that typically come up include changes in insurance providers or plan provisions, revisions to job descriptions, organizational changes and sub-contracting of bargaining unit work.
