Tue Oct 08 16:24:01 UTC 2024: ## Labor News Roundup: Non-Compete Crackdown, Boeing Strikes, and Stellantis Lawsuit
**NLRB General Counsel Targets Non-Compete Agreements:**
NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo has announced plans to curb employers’ use of non-compete and “stay-or-pay” agreements. This follows a previous memo issued last May. Abruzzo argues that these agreements restrict employee mobility, which is not a legitimate business interest. The NLRB will seek compensation for employees harmed by unlawful non-compete agreements, potentially including lost wage differentials. Regarding “stay-or-pay” agreements, the NLRB will focus on whether they are truly voluntary, such as when offered in exchange for optional skills training.
**Boeing Strikes Continue Amid South Carolina Organizing:**
Boeing has resumed talks with its striking workers on the West Coast, two weeks after issuing an ultimatum. The strike is reportedly costing Boeing up to $100 million per day. While talks continue, Boeing has also begun union “education sessions” at its South Carolina plant, where organizing efforts are underway. This comes after Boeing’s decision to build the South Carolina plant was widely seen as an attempt to avoid the union-friendly environment in Washington state.
**Stellantis Sues to Prevent UAW Strike:**
Automaker Stellantis has filed a lawsuit to prevent the United Auto Workers from striking a parts distribution center in California. The dispute stems from Stellantis’s alleged failure to reopen a shuttered plant in Illinois, as promised in its contract with the UAW. Stellantis argues that market conditions have changed due to slower-than-expected electrification, forcing them to revise their plans. This legal action follows a vote by workers at the parts plant to authorize a strike.
First Piper 