Union Information

Melanie

I recently had the local union president/union steward request a list of all employees in the bargaining unit and also wanted their addresses and phone #'s. It's not an article in the contract that I have to provide this information, but is there a general rule/employment law that says I have to give this information?

Don D

Melanie: We went through this issue on the Forum awhile back. then, I was rather vocally opposed to providing some things that were not mentioned in the contract or not specifically covered by law. However, I agreed then and now that I was shown to be wrong by (I think) VMiller, an attorney in Missouri. I don't propose to speak for him, but what he pointed out was that the NLRA and it's enforcing agency, the NLRB, anticipates (will require) that the employer will in fact provide such information to the union on an annual basis. It is needed by the union in their ongoing efforts to stay in contact with and provide services to members of the bargaining unit. In other words, if I were to refuse to provide it and a complaint were to be lodged with the NLRB, I would surely lose. There are however some limits to the types of information and frequency that employers must comply with. Some requests are reduntant, others outlandish, others simply bothersome and useless, many others ridiculous.


This post is not intended to offend union members or officials. However, if it does, it does.

vmiller MO

Don D has got it right. This type of information is "presumptively relevant" under the NLRA. (There is information that is not presumptively relevant). As Don D indicated, there are ways of dealing with the information requests such as this. For example, you provide the union with the information every time you hire an employee. If the Union has the information, you do not have to provide it again absent unusual circumstances. Another idea is to "negotiate" how many time in a year you will provide information.
Vance Miller
Editor, Missouri Employment Law Letter
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
(314) 621-5070
[email]vmiller@armstrongteasdale.com[/email]