Practice Areas

Public Sector Unions

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Public sector employment is governed by a set of unique laws, regulations, and practices. We are highly experienced in assisting public unions in all aspects of their relations with the state, cities, counties, school districts, governmental agencies, and park and recreation districts.

We counsel fire, police, teachers, transit, service, municipal, professors, faculty, staff as well as other public unions on matters involving collective bargaining, contract administration, grievance, arbitrations, and litigation. Our advocacy on behalf of client goals and our refined skill set is why public unions regularly turn to us for labor relations advice.

Collective Bargaining

We represent large and small public bargaining units in negotiating collective bargaining agreements, including Project Labor Agreements, as well as other types of agreements.

Arbitration and Mediation

We are skilled at enforcing agreement terms in arbitration. In addition to advocating our clients’ positions in arbitration proceedings, we are highly experienced in dispute resolution through the use of neutral mediators and fact finders.

Public Employment Relations Board and Litigation

Our practice has achieved a reputation of excellence in pursuing or defending against labor-related litigation on behalf of public sector unions before the Public Employment Relations Board as well in federal and state courts.

Related Practice

In addition to the traditional representation of public unions, we also maintain a significant practice representing public pension and welfare plans. For more information on our Multiemployer & Public Plans practice, please click here.

Awards

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Who’s Who Legal Awards

Charter Fellows of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers

Former Chairs of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section

New York Super Lawyers

Former Chairs of the New York State Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section

Former Chair of the American Bar Association’s Equal Employment Opportunity Committee

AV Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Practice Highlights

  • Successfully litigated a high-profile plant relocation case whereby millions of dollars of back pay were collected and the union was awarded recognition at the relocated workplace.
  • In a uniquely favorable result, the court directed an employer to pay the union’s attorneys’ fees after we successfully enforced, through litigation, an arbitrator’s award in favor of the union.
  • Successfully litigated numerous cases to either stop double-breasted operations or secure favorable long-term union contracts to limit double-breasting.
  • Obtained an NLRB decision barring the merger of a subsidiary’s longstanding union pension plan into the multi-national parent’s non-collectively bargained pension plan.
  • Obtained summary judgment, on behalf of a large state-wide labor union, dismissing a class action that sought substantial damages for alleged violations of the duty of fair representation and ERISA in connection with pension benefits.
  • Successfully litigated NLRB Section 10(j) injunction cases. In one instance we obtained an order barring a plant relocation within the United States. In another, we obtained an order requiring recognition of the union and application of the labor contract by a successor employer at a relocated workplace.