Region 22 Obtains Settlement Reforming Union Hiring Hall Practices and Compensating Members Impacted by Union’s Unlawful Conduct

On August 16, 2021, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Administrative Law Judge Lauren Esposito approved an Informal Settlement Agreement to resolve an unfair labor practice complaint involving the hiring hall—an office for employers to find workers—of Ironworkers Local 11 in Bloomfield and Perth Amboy, New Jersey. In the complaint, Region 22 (Newark) of the NLRB alleged that Ironworkers Local 11 operated its hiring hall in an arbitrary manner by, among other things, failing to refer work based on an applicant’s position on the referral list and by refusing to allow non-members, or “travelers,” to sign the Union’s referral book.

In the settlement agreement, the Union commits to, among other things, (1) reform its hiring hall policies and practices to ensure non-arbitrary referrals; (2) treat travelers the same way it treats members with respect to job referral; and (3) read aloud a NLRB-issued Notice addressing each of the allegations set forth in the complaint at a meeting with members and employees. The settlement also required the Union to pay the four individuals who brought the charges against the Union amounts of back pay and other damages to make them whole for their alleged losses. Attorney Colleen Breslin served as Counsel for the General Counsel for the Settlement Agreement approved by the Administrative Law Judge and Supervisory Attorney Laura Elrashedy supervised the case.

“Unions have to be transparent about how they operate hiring halls, and they can’t discriminate in making referrals based on whether someone is a union member,” said Region 22 Acting Regional Director Eric Schechter. “I’m proud of the staff in Region 22 for working with the parties to settle this complaint.”

Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employees, employers, and unions from unfair labor practices and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year. Region 22 serves areas in New Jersey from its Regional Office in Newark.