McAfee & Taft has extensive experience representing employers in all areas of traditional labor law. Included among our team of highly skilled and experienced attorneys is Peter Van Dyke, a veteran lawyer who has more than 35 years of experience representing management in labor matters and who is generally considered to be one of the best labor practitioners in the region.
In addition to analyzing, drafting and negotiating agreements with labor unions in the private sector, we also have an extensive practice in representing municipalities in all areas of labor law, including negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with police and firefighter labor organizations, and in labor matters involving non-uniformed employees. We routinely counsel private and public employers on discipline and discharge grievances, arbitrate such claims, and handle related litigation. We are experienced in strike-related labor disputes, including striker replacement and labor violence, and are extensively involved in defending unfair labor practice claims before the National Labor Relations Board.
Our lawyers also have years of expertise in counseling and training clients in all aspects of union avoidance, including personnel management plans and on-site training for management. Group members also assist clients in union organizing campaigns, in handling union elections, with decertification issues, and with other representational issues.
The firm's labor lawyers are also taking a lead role in educating clients and the business community about the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, which is largely regarded as organized labor’s top legislative priority for 2009.
For more details on some of our labor-related areas of expertise, please select from one or more of the following links:
Arbitration
McAfee & Taft represents private and public employers in all arbitration-related areas under collective bargaining agreements. This representation includes reviewing, drafting and negotiating arbitration provisions; counseling employers on grievance and arbitration issues; defending arbitration claims; and handling related litigation, such as union actions to vacate arbitration awards.
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Collective Bargaining and Negotiations
We have extensive experience in drafting, interpreting and negotiating complex collective bargaining agreements on behalf of both private and public employers, including extensive representation of municipalities in negotiating collective bargaining agreements with police and firefighter labor organizations. We also counsel employers on the scope of labor agreements, and the extent of an employer’s right to act unilaterally in the union workplace without violating federal labor law.
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National Labor Relations Board
Our attorneys have extensive experience in proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and state labor relations agencies, including unfair labor practice litigation, decertification cases and bargaining unit issues. McAfee & Taft enjoys a well-deserved reputation for the excellence of their Labor Board briefs and the quality of their litigation skills.
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Organizing Drives and Elections
McAfee & Taft counsels employers on lawful and prudent responses during union organizing campaigns and elections, including on-site management training. We also routinely advise employers on lawful union avoidance and pending labor legislation, such as the Employee Free Choice Act. This area of practice includes representational issues involving the National Labor Relations Act, as well as similar statutes covering governmental employees.
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Unfair Labor Practices
Our attorneys counsel employers on all types of unfair labor practices issues and have extensive experience in litigating unfair labor practice claims before the National Labor Relations Board.
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