Labor Negotiations Lead Union to Walk Away

Pierce Atwood represented a large employer in extended negotiations with a newly installed labor union, and, as a result of our negotiation strategy, achieved the rare outcome of getting the union to walk away from our client’s workplace.

The client retained us to help them with an impending union election at a facility in California. Although the union initially prevailed and was installed as the bargaining agent for the client’s workforce, we guided the client through an intensive and strategic negotiation process over 18 months, involving more than 25 bargaining sessions. The workforce grew frustrated with the union’s failure to deliver on the promises it had made to them and filed a decertification petition seeking to remove the union as their representative. The union voluntarily disclaimed its representation rights rather than risk losing an election.

Operating a unionized business imposes heavy financial, legal, and operational burdens on the employer, and this successful result is important for our client.