Latest news with #laborrelations
Reuters
19 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
NLRB official warns states against moving to regulate labor relations
Aug 15 (Reuters) - A top U.S. National Labor Relations Board official on Friday said proposals in at least three states to regulate private-sector labor relations when the federal board does not have enough members to issue decisions are likely invalid. NLRB Acting General Counsel William Cowen in a statement, opens new tab said state efforts to oversee private-sector labor disputes would be preempted by the National Labor Relations Act, which gives the NLRB exclusive nationwide jurisdiction. Cowen also said the current lack of a quorum at the five-member board, triggered by President Donald Trump's unprecedented firing of Democrat Gwynne Wilcox in January, has had little impact on the agency's operations. Hundreds of cases are pending at the board, which has not issued any decisions since March when Wilcox was briefly reinstated by a federal judge. Cowen, a career NLRB lawyer, was appointed acting general counsel after Trump also fired General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, an appointee of President Joe Biden. Lawmakers in New York passed a bill, opens new tab in June to allow a board that hears labor disputes involving state workers to also take up private-sector cases when the NLRB cannot "successfully assert jurisdiction." The bill is under review by Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who has been a vocal critic of Trump but has not said whether she supports the proposal. Similar bills are under consideration in California, opens new tab and Massachusetts, opens new tab. The U.S. Supreme Court in the 1959 case San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garmon held that state and local governments cannot regulate conduct that is protected or prohibited by the NLRA. But the sponsors of the state bills and supporters of the proposals say they are necessary to ensure that workers' labor rights are protected when the NLRB is paralyzed. Without a quorum, the board cannot rule in cases alleging illegal labor practices or issue new interpretations of federal labor law. But Cowen on Friday said the vast majority of NLRB cases never reach the five-member board. In 2024, only about 40% of complaints filed with the board were found to have merit, and more than 96% of those cases settled, Cowen said. Cowen said he was confident that once the board has a quorum it will be able to quickly clear the backlog created after Wilcox was removed. Trump last month nominated a career NLRB staffer and the chief labor counsel at Boeing to fill vacancies on the board. Read more: Trump paralyzes US labor board by firing Democratic member Trump nominates two lawyers to seal Republican control of US labor board US Supreme Court lets Trump keep labor board members sidelined for now Trump taps veteran NLRB lawyer as acting GC after removing Biden appointee
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Federal labor board demands Washington Post rehire reporter fired over social media attacks
The National Labor Relations Board is seeking reinstatement and back pay for former Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez, who was fired in 2022 after attacking colleagues and fiercely criticizing the paper on social media. Sonmez was terminated for insubordination after she continued condemning other Post reporters online despite multiple memos issued by then-executive editor Sally Buzbee calling for civility. The Washington-Baltimore News Guild filed an unfair labor practice charge over Sonmez's firing. The NLRB, Guild and Washington Post each filed briefs on Friday. "To put it bluntly, Respondent just got sick of Sonmez's Twitter activity criticizing the Post's and its policies, as well as its implementation—or lack thereof—of those policies. In response, Respondent decided to bypass its progressive discipline system and fire her because of those criticisms," NLRB prosecutors said. When asking for the complaint to be dismissed, the Post argued that allowing Sonmez to return to the company "would cause unmanageable and unacceptable disruption," and referred to the actions that resulted in her dismissal as a "seven-day tirade." "Because Sonmez lacks the 'journalistic integrity' necessary to work in the Post's newsroom, she should not be reinstated," the Post argued. The Guild believes the Post violated her rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The saga began in June 2022 when Sonmez went after then-colleague Dave Weigel for retweeting a joke: "Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual." Sonmez was not amused and publicly criticized her colleague, also attacking her workplace by reacting, "Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!" Sonmez then launched a days-long public tirade against the Post and many of her colleagues. Weigel was placed on a one-month unpaid suspension despite having removed the retweet and issuing an apology. He left the Post to join the start-up site Semafor later that year. However, Sonmez's tweetstorms berating co-workers continued, and she began receiving public pushback from Post colleagues, who Sonmez then attacked publicly. She repeatedly ripped the paper's social media policy throughout the ordeal. Sonmez even took aim at "White" reporters who expressed solidarity with the paper amid infighting. "I don't know who the colleagues anonymously disparaging me in media reports are. But I do know that the reporters who issued synchronized tweets this week downplaying the Post's workplace issues have a few things in common with each other," Sonmez wrote during a lengthy Twitter thread, saying they "are all White." Despite Buzbee urging staffers to treat each other respectfully, following a week of constant viral warfare between Post colleagues, Sonmez was terminated. The Washington Post unveiled an updated social media policy after the ordeal. NLRB prosecutors are seeking reinstatement and back pay for Sonmez, who now works for Blue Ridge Public Radio. Sonmez declined comment. "The decision is now up to the judge," Sonmez wrote on X. The Washington Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Zawya
11-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Vale and its union in Oman honored by General Federation for Advancing Labor Relations
Muscat – Vale and its union in Oman have been recognized with three national awards by the General Federation of Oman Workers, positioning the company as one of the most progressive and employee-focused organizations operating in the Sultanate's industrial sector. Presented during the 2025 International Workers' Day celebrations, the awards acknowledge Vale's structured approach to nurturing labor relations, its commitment to union dialogue, and its broader role in shaping a progressive and resilient workplace. Among the accolades was the award for Outstanding Union Representative, presented to Nasser Al Mamari, a long-serving member of Vale in Oman's union committee. His selection reflects a record of meaningful contributions to the labor movement, including active engagement with the General Federation, regular participation in official training programs, and his certification as a union trainer. Over the years, Al Mamari has led awareness sessions for colleagues across Oman, supporting a culture of openness, knowledge-sharing, and informed participation. Vale in Oman's union was also recognized as one of the top-performing private sector unions in the country, based on its collaborative approach and continuous coordination with both company leadership and national labor institutions. Since the union's formation, Vale has signed seven collective labor agreements, each designed to formalize dialogue, anticipate workforce needs, and enhance workplace stability. This structured engagement model includes bi-monthly meetings between union representatives and senior management, as well as direct biannual meetings with the CEO. These interactions have enabled both sides to address emerging challenges, review sector trends, and agree on sustainable solutions in the interest of employees and the company. Today, Vale's employees enjoy a range of enhanced benefits that exceed national labor law requirements. These include extended maternity leave provisions, interest-free housing and emergency loans, additional medical leave, and education support for employees' children. The union also plays an active role in promoting occupational health and safety and contributing to local community initiatives. In recognition of its proactive and inclusive approach to labor engagement, Vale in Oman was also named one of the leading private sector institutions supporting union activity in the Sultanate. The award underscores the company's philosophy that unions are not external stakeholders, but integral partners in advancing shared goals. Commenting on the recognition, Yousef Al Badi, HR Manager at Vale in Oman, said: "We are proud to see our collaborative approach recognized at a national level. These awards reflect our belief that sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and long-term thinking are essential to a productive and resilient work environment. Our partnership with the union is not transactional but part of how we do business in Oman." These latest awards build on Vale's recent recognition with the 'Creativity and Excellence in Union Innovation Award' in the industrial sector, further reinforcing the company's reputation as a benchmark for structured labor engagement and progressive workplace practices. Since launching operations in Oman in 2007, Vale has remained committed to supporting the Sultanate's economic diversification goals. Its approach to labor relations stems from a deeper commitment to creating long-term value through the development of national talent, support for social well-being, and promotion of industrial excellence built on mutual respect and shared success.
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Amazon loses bid to block NLRB case over NYC union bargaining
May 7 (Reuters) - A divided U.S. appeals court has rejected attempt to block a National Labor Relations Board case involving the online retail giant while it pursues claims that the agency's structure is unconstitutional. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision, opens new tab on Tuesday said Amazon should have waited for a Texas federal judge to rule before bringing the case to the appeals court. Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here. Amazon claims that NLRB members are improperly shielded from being removed at will by the president, and it wants to block the board from ruling on whether the company must bargain with the first union in its history at a New York City warehouse. Amazon argued that U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez"constructively denied" its motion for a preliminary injunction when he did not rule by September 27, the earliest possible date that the NLRB could have issued a decision. Amazon appealed that day and two days later, Rodriguez denied Amazon's motion and transferred the lawsuit to Washington, D.C., federal court. Circuit Judge Irma Ramirez said on Tuesday that Amazon had not shown a legitimate basis for the alleged urgency in its appeal to the 5th Circuit. The NLRB typically takes months to decide cases and was unlikely to rule soon after final briefs were due in September, wrote Ramirez, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden. Ramirez was joined by Circuit Judge James Graves, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama. An NLRB spokesman declined to comment. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The labor board currently lacks a quorum to decide cases after President Donald Trump in January fired Democratic Member Gwynne Wilcox, so Tuesday's decision has little practical impact on Amazon. Wilcox has sued to get her job back, claiming she was improperly removed without cause. The Trump administration, echoing Amazon and other companies, has argued that removal protections for NLRB members violate the president's broad powers to control the executive branch. About 20 lawsuits have been filed against the NLRB since late 2023 claiming that aspects of its in-house enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution. Amazon's case was among the first to reach a federal appeals court. At least four judges have blocked NLRB cases from moving forward, while about a dozen others have ruled in the agency's favor. Amazon's appeal was consolidated with a similar case by Elon Musk's SpaceX, which also claimed a judge had not ruled quickly enough on its bid to block an NLRB case. The 5th Circuit in March said the rocket maker's appeal was premature. Circuit Judge Priscilla Richman dissented on Tuesday, saying Amazon's sense of urgency was justified. "No one could know, other than the NLRB, when the Board intended to issue a decision," wrote Richman, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush. "What was certain was that the Board could issue a ruling after the [September 27] deadline, at its convenience." The case is v. National Labor Relations Board, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 24-50761 For Amazon: Amber Rogers of Hunton Andrew Kurth For the NLRB: Tyler Wiese NLRB wins transfer of Amazon lawsuit from Texas to D.C. Amazon takes challenge to NLRB's structure to US appeals court US Supreme Court won't block NLRB case pending challenge to its structure In Amazon, SpaceX cases, US labor board's power is on the line Trump paralyzes US labor board by firing Democratic member
