Traditional Labor Law

Winston & Strawn has a highly regarded national practice representing unionized clients in arbitrations and litigation before the National Labor Relations Board, including defending clients in unfair labor practice proceedings and in unit determination matters in representation hearings. Our labor relations attorneys also represent clients, including multi-employer bargaining associations, in litigation before state and federal courts ranging from state court injunctions against labor organizations for mass picketing to precedent-setting labor matters before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and state supreme courts.

Our attorneys help clients negotiate such complex issues as sourcing, multi-tiered wage and benefit structures, retiree "legacy," and health care cost containment. We have assisted clients in the manufacturing, energy, construction, health care, and other industries in their collective bargaining negotiations with the Teamsters, the United Auto Workers, the Service Employees International Union, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United Steelworkers of America, and other labor organizations.

Our attorneys are familiar with union “insider tactics” and “corporate campaigns;” union "greenmail" activities before federal, state, and local government entities; and WARN Act litigation and other issues that can arise in connection with mergers, acquisitions, sales, reorganizations, and consolidations. We also have worked extensively with nonunion clients, advising them on the maintenance of nonunion status and guiding them through union organizational activity.