unions

Saginaw Chippewa Repeals Union Ban

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Morning Sun (H/T Sharon):

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe has repealed the law that essentially outlawed unions among Tribal employees.

“The Tribal Council took this step because it found that it was in the best interests of the Tribe to withdraw its ordinance to accommodate other important interests and relationships,” according to a statement issued by the Tribal Council. “It also makes no sense to engage in expensive litigation over the ordinance when our employees have shown no interest in a union.”

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ICT: Saginaw Chippewa vs. the Unions

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From ICT:

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – In an effort to ward off unionization efforts under the federal National Labor Relations Act, some tribes have adopted labor laws that allow employees to organize under tribal law. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has taken a different approach.

”The position of this tribe is that the National Labor Relations Act does not apply to Indian tribes and the National Labor Relations Board does not have jurisdiction, and, that being the case, we don’t believe we have to adopt an ordinance that allows union organizing to occur. The ordinance the tribe adopted prohibits union organizing,” said Saginaw Chippewa attorney Sean Reed.

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