(NEW YORK CITY) - Unionized Editorial Workers employed at LexisNexis-owned Law360 have put management on notice that they will walk off the job on an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike in September unless there’s real progress in rectifying the harm caused by the company’s unlawful tactics and at the bargaining table.

Law360 Union - which is represented by The NewsGuild (TNG) of New York - has been preparing to Strike since taking a formal authorization vote in February.

Contract negotiations between the Union, which represents about 250 workers, and LexisNexis began on November 17th, 2022.

The Union’s current contract expired on December 31st, 2022.

The Union’s Bargaining Team has spent the months since the Strike Authorization Vote making every effort to negotiate with management - but has been met time and time again with stall tactics and disrespect, Union Officials said.

The company’s unlawful tactics, including mid-contract layoffs and unilateral changes to health care plans, forced the Union to file ULP Charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and have made bargaining harder.

Violating U.S. Labor Law, Law360 management laid off 10% of its Guild-represented Newsroom Staff, announcing layoff plans hours after LexisNexis officials congratulated themselves on earning record profits in 2023.

The New York Guild is challenging the layoffs at the NLRB as a violation of the company’s obligation to maintain the status quo of the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Management is also pushing to claw back many aspects of the expired contract, including eliminating guaranteed annual wage increases, doing away with a cap on health care costs and dramatically weakening job security protections for Unionized Editorial Workers, Union Officials said.

Management is also refusing to increase the Family Leave Benefit - currently at six weeks - to industry standards.

Law360’s own parent company, RELX, offers 14 weeks.

In addition, management is seeking to further economically maroon their workforce by seeking salary minimums that range from $11,250 to $21,000 lower than Worker-proposed minimums.

Workers across the newsroom are sick and tired of the management’s constant delays and will not tolerate the disrespect they’ve encountered at the bargaining table, the Union said.

Their September Strike deadline is ahead of one of the busiest times for Law360 staff, the start of the U.S. Supreme Court session in October.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: LAW360 UNION TO BOSSES: The verdict is in, it’s time to strike | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA