LABOR: “The National Labor Relations Board overturned an Obama-era ruling that potentially made it easier for contractors and workers at franchised businesses to form unions and collectively bargain with big corporations.
The board, which is now controlled by Republicans, reversed itself on the 2015 case known as Browning-Ferris Industries.
Browning-Ferris concerned a recycling center staffed by contractors. The original ruling found the contractors were jointly employed by a staffing firm and Browning Ferris. The case was appealed and remains pending in federal court. Had the workers been found by the court to be jointly employed, it could have allowed them to organize and seek collective bargaining with the large waste-management company.
The case was thought to have implications for McDonald’s, Subway and other brands with many franchised locations, making it easier for workers at franchises to organize into unions.
The latest NLRB ruling found that workers could only be recognized as employees when a firm had direct control over workers, making it harder for contractors or those at franchises to organize.”
-Eric Morath, “NLRB Overturns Obama-Era Ruling on Jointly Employed Workers,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 14, 2017 08:56pm