Businesses claim ‘watershed moment’ in defeat of union poster rule

Major industry trade groups are claiming a major victory in the legal battle over regulations that would have required most businesses to display posters about union rights.  

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declined in recent days to appeal a pair of federal court decisions concluding that the labor rights agency overstepped in requiring the posters.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), which led the legal charge against the rules, celebrated the decision as a “watershed moment” in the group’s fight against regulations seen as overly burdensome.

NAM President Jay Timmons said the rule would have created “a hostile work environment, while injecting politics into manufacturers’ day-to-day business operations.”

The International Franchise Association (IFA) also hailed the NLRB’s decision to drop the case, which centered on employers’ First Amendment rights.

IFA President Steve Caldeira said the outcome of the fight should put regulators on notice.

“This effectively sends a strong message that all regulations should be fair and balanced and protect the rights of both workers and employers,” he said in a statement.

The NLRB rule would have required most private employers to display 11-inch by 17-inch posters explaining workers’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

The law gives workers the right to form a union, bargain collectively and strike to improve their working conditions.

“The NLRB remains committed to ensuring that workers, businesses and labor organizations are informed of their rights and obligations under the National Labor Relations Act,” the agency said in a statement. “Therefore, the NLRB will continue its national outreach program to educate the American public about the statute.”

The poster is still available in a variety of languages on the NLRB’s website, and businesses can choose to download and print it on a voluntary basis.