John Collins Quoted in The Houston Chronicle "Free speech too nasty?"
05/18/2007
The article "Free speech too nasty?" in the May 17, 2007 issue of the Houston Chronicle reports that some companies that have been targeted by unions in "corporate campaigns" and attacked on a wide range of fronts, including environmental issues, political contributions and worker health and safety are fighting back against unions that "bad-mouth" their businesses to customers. "By their nature, union organizing drives are often nasty, as both sides do their best to paint their opponents in the worst possible way. Recognizing that, federal labor law gives both companies and unions ample room to make their arguments, much like federal election laws give political candidates wide berth to embellish their own records and trash their opponents. . . . As the fights get nastier, the stakes are getting higher. "It's a way for employers to fight back in this new era of unorthodox union organizing activities," said John Collins, an employment lawyer with Seyfarth Shaw in Houston. When the campaigns are designed to embarrass employers with false information that hurts the stock price, employers feel the need to protect their good will. Collins said that more of his clients these days are interested in taking more aggressive legal action."
