Catherwood LibraryILR School

In response to pending labor legislation such the Employee Free Choice Act, and additional Obama administration initiatives, U.S. businesses are seeking legal advice from labor consultants in large numbers. Some firms, like Tyson Foods Inc, are hiring labor lawyers to conduct training sessions on the Employee Free Choice Act. Such actions may help companies gauge the implications of the bill. Consulting firms that hold seminars on the issue have watched attendance more than double, and inquiries to labor consultants over recent pro-labor executive orders have increased dramatically. Obama has already signed a law giving employees more time to sue for wage discrimination, while his labor secretary is working to enhance workplace safety standards. Companies expect similar pro-labor measures to continue, and are even hiring consultants to conduct ?vulnerability? tests. Union officials have expressed concern that consultants are spreading unnecessary fear over pro-labor legislation to bolster their business.