Law360 editorial workers threaten to strike

Unionized editorial workers at LexisNexis-owned Law360 put management on notice that they will walk off the job on an unfair labor practice strike in September unless there’s real progress in rectifying  the company’s unlawful tactics and at the bargaining table.

Law360 Union — which is represented by The NewsGuild of New York — has been preparing to strike since taking a formal authorization vote in February.

Contract negotiations between the union, which represents about 250 workers, and LexisNexis began on Nov. 17, 2022. The union’s current contract expired on Dec. 31, 2022.

The union’s bargaining team has spent the months since the strike authorization vote making every effort to negotiate with management. The company’s unlawful tactics, including mid-contract layoffs and unilateral changes to healthcare plans, forced the union to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board and have made bargaining harder.

Violating U.S. labor law, Law360 management laid off 10% of its Guild-represented newsroom staff, announcing layoff plans hours after LexisNexis officials congratulated themselves on earning record profits in 2023. The NY Guild is challenging the layoffs at the National Labor Relations Board as a violation of the company’s obligation to maintain the status quo of the expired collective bargaining agreement.

Management is pushing to claw back many aspects of the expired contract, including eliminating guaranteed annual wage increases, doing away with a cap on health care costs and dramatically weakening job security protections for unionized editorial workers. Management is also refusing to increase the family leave benefit  — currently at six weeks — to industry standards. Law360’s own parent company, RELX, offers 14 weeks.

In addition, management is seeking to further economically maroon their workforce by seeking salary minimums that range from $11,250 to $21,000 lower than worker-proposed minimums.

The September strike deadline is ahead of one of the busiest times for Law360 staff, the start of the U.S. Supreme Court session in October.

“We have truly made every effort, but we are ready to strike,” said Hailey Konnath, a reporter for Law360 and unit chair for the union. “It’s now up to management and Harmon to make the right decision, remedy the ULPs and negotiate a fair contract.”