Annual Labor and Employment Program

Employee Activism: The Impact of Employee Conduct and Speech in Today’s Dynamic Political Climate  

As employees speak out about their world views and concerns, a wide variety of their actions, both in speech and conduct, are blurring the lines between work and off-duty conduct. From the Middle East to climate change to presidential politics to reproductive rights and other critical issues, employers are facing new expectations about how to operate in the face of heightened employee activism. In many cases, employees and unions are utilizing their platforms to band together to not only state their opinions on controversial issues, but also to expand their reach and grow their base. How is this activism impacting the development of employment and traditional labor law?  Listen to our expert panelists unpack employee activism in today’s workplaces and its impact on the law.

Panel 1: It’s Not “Your Father’s/Mother’s” Union Anymore

Actions by the NLRB, unions and workers are breathing new life into the National Labor Relations Act and its protections. Through Board decisions and General Counsel memos, the NLRB continues to take an expansive view of employees’ rights to engage with each other. Workers in non-traditional businesses are leveraging the NLRB’s expansive view to unionize and/or gain the protections of the Act. Unions are using the political issues of the moment to expand their base. From every direction, activism is redefining traditional labor law and the scope of the Act. Hear from our expert panel on how these issues are impacting the development of traditional labor law.

Panel 2: Is It Work or Personal?   

From Instagram to Slack to Facebook to X and more, employees are using social media and other electronic communication tools to state their opinions loudly. Can employers still freely set limits when this activism invades or disrupts the workplace? Are there dangers for employers who want to permit the national dialogue to enter their workplace? With the push for employers to be more transparent in everything — including pay — can employers limit dialogue at all anymore? Hear from an expert panel on how these issues are impacting the development of employment law.

If you live outside the state of Massachusetts, and you are interested in attending the event virtually, please message Julialnne Griffin at ju.griffin@northeastern.edu.

Sponsored by:

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Thanks to Our 2024 Planning Committee:

Michelle De Oliveira ’12
Bryan Decker ’92
Jeff Dretler ’91
Jaclyn Kugell ’92
Stephen Linsky ’86

Northeastern Law’s annual Labor and Employment Program provides a unique opportunity to hear from fellow grads, all of whom are recognized experts in the field of labor and employment law. Don’t miss this chance to gain new connections and new perspectives on issues of critical importance to attorneys, judges, neutrals, government practitioners, union representatives, in-house counsel and human resources professionals.

Anyone with an interest in labor and employment law is encouraged to attend this event.

Dec 4, 2024

5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Register Online