Supreme Court To Examine Labor Neutrality Agreements

The Court will consider whether neutrality agreements between private-sector employers and unions attempting to organize violate anti-corruption law. Neutrality agreements, a pivotal tool in modern unionizing efforts, are meant to ensure private employers will not interfere with union attempts to organize. Increasingly, however, the agreements have been expanded to include add-ons granting unions access to the workplace, providing worker contact information, and recognizing the union’s position as a bargaining representative if the majority of employees sign commitment cards. The Supreme Court case, set to be heard Nov. 14, claims that such agreements violate the Labor Management Relations Act. Unions argue the law was intended to prevent exchange of money and outright bribery, which they say doesn’t apply in the case.