As we head into a new bargaining season, one issue that ICSOM negotiating committees might be inclined to bring to the table concerns employer assistance with access to abortion services. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization that upended decades of (what was assumed to be) settled precedent regarding abortion rights, many employees, especially those in … [Read more...]

Update (January 13, 2022): On January 13, 2022, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to prevent implementation of the ETS, overruling the Sixth Circuit. The Biden administration has subsequently withdrawn the rule. Previous Update (December 17, 2021): On December 17, 2021, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to lift the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), … [Read more...]

We often hear the phrase “elections have consequences.” True enough, but sometimes those consequences fly under the radar. One example is the change in the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that occurs when a new presidential administration takes over. That has never been so apparent as it is right now. The NLRB is the federal agency charged with enforcing the National Labor … [Read more...]

Last August at the ICSOM conference in Cincinnati, I gave a presentation regarding preparing for bargaining (“Bookends of Bargaining, Part 1”). Of the topics I covered, orchestra surveys sparked the most feedback. Many delegates have asked if they could share that part of the presentation with their colleagues, so I would like to expand upon that here as orchestras start preparing for next year’s … [Read more...]