Syllabus
Labor Relations and the Law (HRM 341)

* This is the Fall 2007 syllabus. See the appropriate syllabus for the semester you are interested in.

This is a three-credit graduate level course and is one of four required courses in the Human Resource Management field of study of the online Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree. The MPS degree is offered through the University of Connecticut's Center for Continuing Studies.

Course Title: Labor Relations and the Law (HRM 341)
Credits: 3
Instructor: Peter B. Hoffman

This course is open to all matriculated MPS students. All other students must obtain permission from the instructor to enroll. Class size is limited

For general inquiries about the course, you may contact the instructor directly at: pehoff@hotmail.com.  All other questions and all assignments from registered students must be submitted via the WebCT course.

 This course was developed by Peter B. Hoffman.

This course will review the law under the National Labor Relations Act (the NLRA). It will focus on unfair labor practices and union representation elections, with an emphasis on the right to engage in union activities free from interference, restraint, coercion, or discrimination; and the duty to bargain in good faith. Students will be expected to study the text of the statute, relevant selections from actual cases, and various other materials and apply them to current events and hypothetical situations.

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to demonstrate a broad working knowledge of the principles of Federal labor relations law which will assist them in:

1. Identifying the legal implications of personnel decisions and actions, thereby
2. Facilitating the resolution or avoidance of conflict in the workplace.

The final grade will be equally divided between class participation (i.e., web-based discussions), a midterm and a final exam. The exams will be “open book” and will consist of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer essays.  A brief term paper (not to exceed 2000 words) or another assignment may also be offered, or approved, for extra credit.   

You are responsible for acting in accordance with the Student Code, available at  http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_code.cfm.

These course texts may be purchased through the UConn bookstore. 

Required Texts

Ray, D.E., Sharpe, C.W., & Strassfeld, R.N. Understanding labor law. Second Edition, Matthew Bender. ISBN 0-8205-6220-3

Gold, M. E. (1998). An introduction to labor law (revised). Cornell University, ILR Press. ISBN 0-8014-8477-4

Hoffman, Peter B. (2007). Labor Relations & the Law: Selected Cases (course pack through UConn bookstore)

Other Required Readings

United States National Labor Relations Board. Basic guide to the national labor relations act. Retrieved February 5, 2007, from  http://www.nlrb.gov/nlrb/shared_files/brochures/basicguide.pdf

Other Source Materials:

These materials are available online or will be provided within the course through the Electronic Course Reserve (ECR).

Leslie, D. L. (2000). Labor law in a nutshell (4th ed.). West Wadsworth. ISBN 031423151X.  Available through ECR.

Hardin, P., & Higgins, J. E. Jr. (vols. I. II & 2001 supp.) The developing labor law (4th ed.). The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., BNA Books. ISBN 1-57018-149-7; 1-57018-150-0; 1-57018-279-5. Selected readings are available through ECR.

Babson, S. (1999). The unfinished struggle: Turning points in American labor, 1877 – present. Rowman & Littlefield.  ISBN 0847688291.  Available through ECR.

Feldacker, B. (1999). Labor guide to labor law (4th ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 013-016523-9. Selected readings are available through ECR.

United States National Labor Relations Board. (1995). The first sixty years: The story of the national labor relations board, 1935-1995. American Bar Association. Retrieved July 10, 2007 from http://www.nlrb.gov/about_us/history/thhe_first_60_years.aspx

United States National Labor Relations Board. An outline of law and procedure in representation cases. Retrieved July 10, 2007 from http://www.nlrb.gov/publications/manuals/r_-_case_outline.aspx

United States National Labor Relations Board. Text of the National Labor Relations Act as amended. Retrieved July 10, 2007 from http://www.nlrb.gov/about_us/overview/national_labor_relations_act.aspx

Denham, R. N. (1948). Address to the St. Louis Bar Association. The Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), Inc., 21 LRRM 55. Available through ECR.

Hoffman, P. (2003). Where do unions come from? Available from the instructor.

Hoffman, P. (Ed.). (2002, April). The bargaining obligation. Adapted, Modified, & Edited from Seminar Instructional Materials, NLRB Formal Orientation and Training Conference, San Diego, California. Available from the instructor.

Remedial Initiatives, Office of the General Counsel, NLRB, Memorandum OM 99-79, November 19, 1999. Retrieved July 10, 2007 from http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/OM%20Memos/1999/om99-79.html

 

Table of Assigned & Recommended Cases

The cases provided have been abridged. The full text of the Supreme Court's decisions can be found at: http://findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html.

Supreme Court Decisions

NLRB v. Washington Aluminum Co., 370 US 9 (1962)
NLRB v. City Disposal Systems, 465 US 822 (1984)
NLRB v Gissel Packing Co., 395 US 575 (1969)
NLRB v Exchange Parts Co., 375 US 405 (1964)
NLRB v. Transportation Management Corp., 462 US 393 (1983)
NLRB v Lechmere, Inc., 502 US 527 (1992)
NLRB v Robert Scrivener, d/b/a/ AA Electric Co., 405 US 117 (1972)

Appellate Court Decisions

Budd Manufacturing Co. v NLRB, 138 F.2d 86, (CA 3, 1943)
Charles E. Helton v NLRB, 656 F.2d 883 (CA DC 1981)
Epilepsy Foundation of Northeast Ohio v. NLRB, 268 F.3d 1095 (CA DC 2001)
NLRB v Sure Tan, Inc. 583 F2d 355, (CA 7, 1978)

NLRB Decisions

Midland National Life Ins. Co., 263 NLRB 127 (1982)
Electromation, Inc., 309 NLRB 990 (1992)
Levitz Furniture Co., 333 NLRB 717 (2001)
Parker-Robb Chevrolet, Inc., 262 NLRB 402 (1982)
General Services, Inc., 229 NLRB 940 (1977)
IBM Corporation, 341 NLRB No. 148 (2004)
Brown University , 342 NLRB No. 42 (2004)

 

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• Module 1: Historical Perspective
  The Industrial Revolution to the Cold War

• Module 2: The Basics
  The NLRA's Jurisdiction & Coverage

• Module 3: The Rights of Employees
  NLRA Section 7: The Right to Engage in Concerted Activities

• Module 4: Interference, Restraint, & Coercion
  NLRA Sections 8(a)1,  8(b)1a, & 8(c)

• Module 5: Discrimination
  NLRA Sections 8(a)3,  8(b)2,  & 10(c)

• Midterm Exam

• Module 6: The Selection Process
  Obtaining Recognition

• Module 7: Individual Rights & Due Process
  Investigative Interviews
  The Duty of Fair Representation

• Module 8 : Institutional Rights
  The Duty to Bargain in Good Faith

• Module 9: Matters of Public Policy
  Safeguarding the NLRB's Processes
  Return to the status quo, injunctions, & other Remedies

• Final Exam

 

Students will be provided an opportunity to evaluate instruction in this course using the University's standard procedures, which are administered by the Office of Institutional Research.