U.S. Supreme Court Balances Power Between Employers and Unions in Latest Ruling

June 1, 2023

U.S. Supreme Court Balances Power Between Employers and Unions in Latest Ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 1, 2023) – NFIB applauds today’s decision in the case Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court determined that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) does not immunize the intentional destruction of an employer’s property. NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case arguing that the NLRA does not preempt suits similar to the one presented in this case. “Today’s decision reaffirms the established balance of power between labor unions and employers,” said Beth Milito, Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “The NLRA does not preempt legal action when employers are facing harassment and vandalism. Small business owners have the right to seek a remedy when their property and livelihoods are intentionally damaged.” The case concerned whether the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protected unions in the event of intentional property destruction. NFIB argued that multiple court precedents had made clear that unions are not immune from state tort suits involving the intentional destruction of private property. The Supreme Court’s decision protects small business owners in the event of such property damage by affirming their right to seek compensation following the unlawful destruction of their property and maintains the congressionally established balance of power between unions and employers. The NFIB Small Business Legal Center protects the rights of small business owners in the nation’s courts. NFIB is currently active in more than 40 cases in federal and state courts across the country and in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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