THE RUDNICK REPORT: NEW CASE DEVELPMENTS AT THE NLRB FOR 2-9-26
- The NLRB issued an updated docketing protocol for unfair labor practice charges (from Memorandum GC 26-01, issued December 2025, with clarification on January 28, 2026). This requires charging parties to submit supporting evidence/documentation early (within ~2 weeks) before full docketing/assignment. The agency clarified this aligns with longstanding practices, aims to improve efficiency, reduce delays from overloaded agents, and does not impose new substantive burdens or change dismissal standards.
2. Here are the key facts from the most recent published NLRB Board decisions as of early February 2026 (issued February 4, 2026, in the 374 NLRB series). These are primarily summary judgment cases involving employer refusals to bargain after union certification, where the Board adopted findings without full hearings due to lack of genuine disputes.
3. Hackensack Meridian Health Carrier Clinic (374 NLRB No. 35, Case 22-CA-360422)
- Issuance Date: February 4, 2026.
- Employer: Hackensack Meridian Health Carrier Clinic (a behavioral health services provider in Belle Mead, New Jersey).
- Union: District 1199J, National Union of Hospital and Healthcare Employees.
- Key Facts:
- The union won a secret-ballot representation election in May 2024 among mental health technicians at the facility.
- The Regional Director certified the union as the exclusive bargaining representative in October 2024.
- The Board denied the employer's request for review of the certification in December 2024.
- Despite certification, the employer refused to recognize or bargain with the union.
- Board Holding: The Board granted summary judgment, finding the employer violated Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by refusing to bargain in good faith. The decision enforces the union's certification and requires the employer to bargain upon request.
4. Winco Foods (374 NLRB No. 37, Case 27-CA-345285)
- Issuance Date: February 4, 2026.
- Employer: Winco Holdings, Inc. (operating as Winco Foods, a grocery store in Salt Lake City, Utah; also referred to as Winco Foods in some contexts).
- Union: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 22.
- Key Facts:
- The union won a representation election in February 2024 for employees at the store.
- The Regional Director certified the union in April 2024.
- The Board denied the employer's request for review in June 2024.
- The union made repeated demands to bargain starting in February 2024.
- The employer refused to recognize or bargain with the union beginning in May 2024.
- Board Holding: The Board granted summary judgment, finding the employer violated Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the NLRA by refusing to bargain in good faith with the certified union. The decision orders the employer to bargain upon request and cease refusals.
5. If you need any assistance with the NLRB concerning unfair labor practice charges or any other labor relations matter, please contact Sanford Rudnick JD at 1-800-326-3046 or by emails at
sandy@rudnickpro.com.
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Navigating labor and employment issues can be challenging, but you don't have to face them alone. Whether you're dealing with a union election, collective bargaining, an unfair labor practice, pension liability, or another labor or human resources matter, my team and I are here to provide practical guidance and experienced representation.
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