While the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”) does not have a quorum, a pair of June 13, 2025 decisions by federal courts of appeal highlight key labor law issues under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA” or “Act”).

• In Grove v. NLRB, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Board’s finding that an employer unlawfully declared impasse after protracted pension bargaining, clarifying the legal standard for impasse determinations.
• In Welch v. International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Workers, Local 100, the Fourth Circuit affirmed that a union’s organizing tactics—including public communications and litigation support—remained protected under the NLRA and did not constitute unlawful secondary activity or actionable defamation.

These opinions reinforce that impasse findings must be based on objective evidence and that peaceful union advocacy is generally lawful under federal labor law.

D.C. Circuit Slams NLRB’s “Irrational” Impasse Analysis

In Grove v. NLRB, No. 23-1164 (D.C. Cir. June 13, 2025), the D.C. Circuit addressed whether an employer lawfully declared impasse after years of bargaining over pension contributions. The parties engaged in extensive negotiations, including numerous sessions and a lengthy strike, but remained deadlocked over the pension issue. When both sides confirmed their positions were non-negotiable, the employer declared impasse. The Board found the employer had not bargained in good faith and could not...

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