Illinois Labor Relations Board Adopts Emergency "Card Check" Rules

At a meeting of the Illinois Labor Relations Board ("Board") yesterday, the Board adopted emergency rules to implement P.A. 093-0444, the new law signed by Governor Blagojevich on August 5, 2003. That law provides that a Union can get bargaining rights if it can demonstrate "a showing of majority interest by employees in the unit." If there is a dispute as to how to determine majority status, the law states that "...the Board shall ascertain the employees' choice of employee organization, on the basis of dues deduciton authorization and other evidence, or, if necessary, by conducting an election." As Board member Edward Sadlowski commented, "It's labor's time."