Unions

HR Cat

Our company is considering expanding into a heavily unionized area. My task is to research the impact that unions could have on our small business (presently less than 150 employees), and I don't really know where to start. I need to find out the impact to cost of labor, including salaries, benefits, etc., ways of avoiding unions in our workplace, how to adapt our business if a union is inevitible, and how a union in one location might impact our other facilities.

I would appreciate any information available, as well as pointers on where to go for this type of info.

Don D

HR Cat: Assuming you have an unlimited budget (right), I can tell you from first hand experience that the very best thing you can do in this regard is find the right labor law attorney with specific knowledge of unions and the NLRA and a track record of defending employers. Tell them you would like for him/her to make a one hour stand up presentation to you and a select few others at the company. If you can find an attorney who is a presenter at one of the annual labor-law-update-seminars in your area and has this as a subject area, you'll have the right guy. I'm sure there are lots of handouts out there somewhere that will state some of the same pointers in print; but, I believe you simply can't beat having just the right presenter give you a stand up, sharp delivery on your questions. Might cost you 3 hours prep (although he already has it ready) and 1.5 hours at the company. Money well spent in the end. He'll give you a cost break if he sees this as a lasting relationship. Good luck!