During the statewide nursing home strikes of 2001, Durant, Nichols represented several nursing homes that had been become the focus of strikes by District 1199. In preparation for the strikes, our firm advised and counseled these homes on how to hire replacement workers, on how to manage picket lines and how to communicate effectively with striking employees. We also worked with these homes to develop strategies that ended the strikes and brought the Union back to the bargaining table. Finally, our attorneys negotiated agreements with the Union that met the Homes' requirements without succumbing to the Union's outlandish proposals.

II. Collective Bargaining

The Firm was engaged by a client in the bearing industry to renegotiate an old labor contract with the UAW. The principal objective in negotiations was to change the entire organizational structure of the production process. After lengthy negotiations, spanning a period of almost four months, an agreement was reached to abandon the old system of single function job classifications with across-the-board percentage wage increases each year. In its place, a "cell organization" structure was constructed in which workers within the various cells would be trained to work interchangeably and would receive increased pay for acquiring increased skills. In the same negotiations, the UAW agreed to terminate the old defined benefit pension plan and replace it with a 401(k) plan.

The Firm negotiated a five year contract with the United Steelworkers for a client in the manufacturing sector. The wage increase negotiated was 10 and one-half percent over the five years. The Company's obligation to pay full health insurance premiums was eliminated and employees will now pay an increased share of the premium each year in every year of the new contract.

III. Arbitration