25 Aug NLRB Rules That a Card Check Majority is Enough

For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Val Thomason, vthomason@teamsters14.com

In a stunning decision today, the NLRB has ruled against Cemex Ready-Mix in favor of the employees who organized through the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. This decision has partially revived the Joy Silk Doctrine, overturned in 1971, undoing 50 years of anti-union policy. 

The Joy Silk Doctrine means that an employer must recognize and bargain with a union when they reach a simple card check majority. Rather than filling out the cards, then waiting for an election, you can begin bargaining once you have the cards. 

This ruling today sets up a new framework. Employees who organize and collect majority support through authorization cards will not submit them and wait for an election. They will demand recognition using the “card check” method and then the employer must be the one to file for an election, if they have reason to believe that the union may not have majority support. 

If that employer commits an unfair labor practice while waiting for the election, the union will be recognized immediately without an election. This is vital to the resurgence of the labor movement, as most anti-union campaigns seek to delay the election. During this delayal period is when we see bad actors begin to emerge, and employees are often terminated in order to undo the organizing work they’ve done. 

Thanks to a group of committed Teamsters members and organizers, employers will no longer be able to deny a union’s existence. This is a reversal from yesterday, when they would call an election for each and every card check. Happy organizing!

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Teamsters Local 14 is a local union under the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Local 14 has over 4,000 members in a variety of workplaces including schools, warehouses, delivery services, and public employees.