The "persuader" industry has long been a thorn in the side of workers exercising their right to a union. These consultants, hired by employers to dissuade workers from organizing, have been known to use questionable tactics to sway employee opinions. And now, a recent analysis by LaborLab has revealed a disturbing trend: as of May 2023, only 44% of the LM-21 forms owed for 2021 have been filed by anti-union persuaders. This means that less than half of the consultants who engaged in persuader activity last year have disclosed their financial information as required by law.

Captive audience meetings, also known as mandatory meetings, have been a contentious issue in workplaces for years. Critics contend that they create a hostile work environment and coerce workers into opposing their right to a union. As a result, some states are starting to take action and ban captive audience meetings altogether.

New documents reviewed by LaborLab reveal that Rogers Behavioral Health, a residential mental health center in Oconomowoc, WI, hired anti-union "persuader" consultants to coerce employees who are charging the company for violating their right to unionize. The nurses and other professional staff working with the National Union of Healthcare Workers were specifically targeted by the union busting firm Valens Business Services.

Linemen, mechanics, and meter readers employed by Caney Fork Electric Cooperative are attempting to unionize and have filed for a union election late last month. Caney Fork Electric Cooperative is a utility company based in McMinnville, TN. The company has hired ALG HR Solutions this month to resist the unionization effort involving IBEW Local 429. However, it appears that ALG HR Solutions subcontracted Labor Relations Institute (LRI) to "persuade" workers against forming a union. LRI is one of the most prominent and aggressive union-busting firms in the country.

LaborLab has revealed that Presbyterian Healthcare Services hired union busting consultants last year to coerce doctors and nurses into opposing a unionization effort. Workers have a legal and fundamental right to unionize, but weak labor laws often allow for fierce employer resistance to that right.

The residents and interns at Mass General Hospital in Boston have been pushing for a union drive to improve their working conditions and patient care. However, the hospital has been using anti-union “persuaders” to coerce employees to vote against unionizing. LaborLab uncovered that Joseph Brock and Eric Vanetti are the individuals being paid $400 an hour to discourage unionization. Brock has a history of union busting in the healthcare industry, including at San Diego Family Care, Camerena Health, Community Health System, Innercare, and Maine Medical Center.

Yesterday it was reported that GFL Environmental Inc, a waste management company, is facing scrutiny for its labor relations practices and alleged union-busting efforts. According to reports, GFL hired hired Scott Michel, Senior Labor Consultant at Reliant Labor Consultants. Now, LaborLab has uncovered that GFL Environmental Inc. also hired The Labor Pros, another union busting consulting firm with a long record of undermining the rights of workers. 

GFL Environmental Inc. is a North American environmental services company providing waste management, infrastructure and soil remediation, and liquid waste solutions to customers in the industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors. With over 140 facilities and more than 10,000 employees, GFL operates across Canada and the United States. The company offers services such as solid waste collection and disposal, hazardous waste management, liquid waste management, soil remediation, and infrastructure services.

Michael Sainato has an important new article out in The Guardian. In it, Sainato reports that the management of the Fairmont Hotel in Sonoma, California has hired anti-union consultants to prevent workers from forming a union. Workers have alleged the consultants engaged in illegal tactics to intimidate and harass employees, including threatening to fire workers who support the union. In response, the workers have filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which has launched an investigation into the matter. The use of anti-union consultants is becoming increasingly common in the United States, particularly in industries such as hospitality and healthcare. These consultants often use aggressive tactics to prevent workers from organizing and bargaining collectively for improved wages and working conditions.

As President of the United States, Joe Biden has the power to direct the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to reinstate the Persuader Rule. This rule would make it harder for union busting to hide in the shadows and ensure that workers have a fair chance to unionize without interference from their employers.