Skip to content

Unions are back in the news. On March 9, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives successfully passed the Protect the Right to Organize Act (the PRO Act), legislation designed to overhaul the current labor relations framework—touching on issues including independent contractors, joint employers, employee arbitration agreements, and new union organizing rules. While Senate passage may not happen, President Biden’s insistence on being the “most pro-union president” could make the PRO Act a legislative priority later in his term.

Continue reading the full GT Alert.

Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Charles S. Birenbaum Charles S. Birenbaum

Charles S. Birenbaum serves as the firm’s Chair of Northern California and Co-Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s Labor-Management Relations group. Chuck is an experienced labor and employment attorney who focuses his practice on traditional labor and employment law matters, and

Charles S. Birenbaum serves as the firm’s Chair of Northern California and Co-Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s Labor-Management Relations group. Chuck is an experienced labor and employment attorney who focuses his practice on traditional labor and employment law matters, and has wide-ranging experience litigating in state and federal courts as well as various administrative agencies. He has testified on proposed legislation impacting entire industries before state legislative committees, and has interfaced and negotiated with labor organizations, politicians, regulators, and industry leaders to resolve complex issues for his clients in the health care, energy, construction and other industries.

Chuck is an experienced trial lawyer, having tried race harassment class actions, noncompetition trials, unfair labor practice hearings before the National Labor Relations Board, and multiple arbitrations. His appellate work includes decisions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit under the National Labor Relations Act, Labor Management Relations Act, and the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act.

In the area of traditional labor law, Chuck has a broad array of experience in collective bargaining, union organizing and trust fund litigation for employers in the construction, energy, health care, manufacturing, and service industries. He has first chaired collective bargaining for all bargaining units at a health care system; first chaired collective bargaining over a bargaining unit of registered nurses at a dialysis provider; first chaired collective bargaining for construction agreements covering billions of dollars of heavy infrastructure development; and first chaired collective bargaining for a steel manufacturer and fabricator.

Chuck has been honored by numerous organizations for his labor and employment practice. In 2013 alone, Chambers USA Guide listed him for his work in labor and employment law, Human Resources Executive® magazine named him one of the nation’s top 100 most powerful labor attorneys, and The Daily Journal singled him out as one of California’s top 75 labor attorneys.

Photo of Anthony E. Guzman II Anthony E. Guzman II

Anthony Guzman represents employers in the defense of complex wage & hour class and collective actions, including those involving claims under California’s Private Attorneys General Act. He has wage & hour trial experience, and has argued in both state and federal court, as

Anthony Guzman represents employers in the defense of complex wage & hour class and collective actions, including those involving claims under California’s Private Attorneys General Act. He has wage & hour trial experience, and has argued in both state and federal court, as well as before state agencies such as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Anthony also has notable experience in representing employers in sexual harassment, pay disparity, and trade secret disputes.

Anthony is an active member of the legal community, both in and outside the workplace. He regularly writes on various employment law topics, including the ever-changing legal landscape of employment arbitrations. He also serves as one of the coaches for U.C. Berkeley, School of Law’s mock trial program, where he coached their Labor & Employment trial team to a national championship during his first competitive season.