Another Bad Day in the DC Circuit for the NLRB

Posted 12:30 PM by Michael Fox

Today, the D.C. Circuit struck down the NLRB's rule which required all employers over which it had jurisdiction to post a notice advising employees of their rights under the NLRA. National Association of Manufacturers v. NLRB (D.C. Cir. 5.7.13). The majority opinion relied primarily on Section 8(c), the so called "free speech" provision which allows employers to advise employees of their view on unions as long as it is done in a non-coercive manner.

It was a unanimous decision, with two judges concurring only to point out that in their view there was yet another independent basis to strike the rule down.

And with the majority opinion quoting opinions authored by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Scalia (and referring to a Justice Thomas concurrence), it is clear that the Court was writing not only for today, but for the anticipated appeal.

In the more than 35 years I have been practicing, I can not remember a time when an agency that was involved in regulating the workplace has been in such disarray. It is hard to see a path to normalcy, and sometimes hard to remember even what that is when speaking of the Board.

Whether in the long term that is a good or bad thing is not yet clear; but that it is taking us to uncharted waters is a certainty.

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