Can’t say the National Labor Board doesn’t keep pace with the times. The NLRB continues to flex its muscles to make social networks safe for pro-union activities.
Latest example: The New York Newspaper Guild says the NLRB is about to file a complaint against media giant Thompson Reuters, alleging the employer’s Twitter policy illegally restricts employee free speech.
The employer disciplined an employee for using his Twitter account to post pro-union messages, the Guild alleges.
Although this is the first time Twitter’s come into the conversation, it’s at least the third time the NLRB’s charged an employer with implementing improper policies concerning employee use of social network sites.
Two earlier charges
First, the NLRB issued a complaint against a Connecticut ambulance service, alleging that it illegally fired an employee because she posted negative remarks about her supervisor on her personal Facebook page.
The NLRB said the company’s Internet use policies “constitute(d) interference with employees in the exercise of their right to engage in protected … activity.”
Then the feds filed a complaint against another Connecticut employer, challenging the legality of a transportation company’s overall policy on “electronic communication.”
We have a feeling there could be more such challenges coming.
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