Catherwood LibraryILR School

The Supreme Court will hear the oral arguments of a case today that could redefine how employers and unions are allowed to interact, especially before a union is certified based on the definition of a ?thing of value?. Currently, Labor Management Relations Act bans employers from giving any ?thing of value? to unions or union officials. Some are arguing that a broader definition could include employer actions such as granting access to employees during a unionization drive, the employer agreeing to neutrality, and the willingness of an employer to recognize a union without a secret-ballot election. These tactics have been major reasons for union wins in unionizing drives over the past decade, and if the justices rule that those concessions by employers are a ?thing of value? it could greatly diminish union power in the future.