As we’ve previously reported, on April 14, 2015, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) implemented new union election rules (Election Rules), which made significant changes to the Board’s procedures for processing election petitions, holding hearings, and conducting secret-ballot elections. Most significantly, the Election Rules paved the way for union elections to be held in as few as 14–21 days after the filing of a union petition, a dramatic decrease from the current median time of 38 days.
As predicted, since the Election Rules went into effect, the median time between the filing of a union petition and the election has decreased dramatically. Prior to the implementation of the Election Rules, union elections were typically held approximately six (6) weeks after the petition was filed (and sometimes longer if the parties litigated contested issues before the Region). According to recent data, the median time for elections held in the three months following the implementation of the Election Rules was just 23 days. And, the number of petitions filed rose sharply, increasing by 32 percent in the first month after the Election Rules took effect.