Federal Court Awards $1.2 Million Against Teamsters for Illegal Picketing
A Minnesota federal court recently entered summary judgment in favor of a plaintiff and against a Teamsters local and entered judgment in the amount against for $1,238,315 for the Teamsters’ illegal picketing of plaintiff’s facility.
In the case, Sysco Minnesota, Inc. v. Teamsters Local 120, a Teamsters Local – Local 41 – who had
The Comcast Project is Not Likely to Be Shut Down Too Long
Jan Von Bergen at the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that work on Comcast’s new tower came to a halt this morning when striking members of Local 542 picketed the Comcast tower project and other union trades refused to cross the picket line. However, this show of solidarity (during the afternoon on the Friday before the Fourth of July) is unlikely to last past the long weekend. Why? Because any conduct by Local 542 aimed at encouraging a work stoppage by other union members is illegal and the companies that employ the sympathetic union members are in breach of contract if they do not work on Tuesday.
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Texas Jury Awards $5.3 Million to Company Defamed by Union: Could it work in Pennsylvania?
In early September a Texas jury awarded a janitorial $5.3 million against the local chapter of the SEIU. The janitorial firm claimed that the SEIU damaged its reputation and caused it damages when it spread false, defamatory, and disparaging stories about the firm. Specifically, the janitorial firm claimed that the SEIU told the janitorial firms
$650,000 Jury Award Against Sheet Metal Workers Union Affirmed
As I have blogged about before, one of the most powerful weapons contractors and owners have in combating illegal secondary activity by unions is Section 303 of the Labor Management Relations Act. Section 303 authorizes a party to bring in action in federal court for monetary damages against a labor union who has caused harm
Federal Courts Continue to Frown Upon Illegal Secondary Activity
Federal Courts continue to be a friendly venue for victims of illegal union actions. Recently in Waugh Chapel South, LLC v. UFCW Local 27, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals joined a growing number of Federal Courts in affirming the right to recover damages against a union for illegal secondary activity.
In that case
Exploring the Limits of Union Protests
When unions picket a construction site to warn about a non-union contractor’s destruction of area wage and labor standards, the First Amendment does not give them unlimited protection for their actions. Philadelphia Magazine’s Property blog has a story about an ongoing labor dispute between Philadelphia trade unions and an apartment developer that brings to
Section 303 Private Rights of Action: What Do If You Receive a Letter from the Carpenters’ Union.
Yesterday, I talked about how the Carpenters’ Union has been sending letters to neutral employers threaten to picket a job site if a merit shop contractor were permitted to perform work on that site. I received multiple inquiries asking what a contractor can do if they are the target of such a letter. The most
On Offense: Carpenters Get Agressive with Letters to Neutral Employers
In the past year, the NLRB has issued a series of opinions which give a rather “liberal” interpretation of Section 8(b)(4)(B)’s prohibition on threatening, coercing, or restraining a neutral employer from doing business with someone. Bannering, “Ratting,” and even infiltrating worksites impersonating federal immigration agents have all passed muster with the Board. Apparently, bouyed by
PLA Fails to Prevent NYC Strike
The Concrete Union strike in New York and subsequent walk off on the World Trade Center Memorial and Madison Square Garden projects made minor fanfare this week. What many do not realize is that the Concrete Union was the signatory to a project labor agreement (“PLA”) covering these project which is supposed to prevent strikes