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Eric C. Stuart

Shareholder || Morristown

Traditional Labor Relations, Employment Law, Mergers and Acquisitions
Hospitality, Defense Contracting, Manufacturing, Trucking and Logistics

Eric C. Stuart is a shareholder in the Morristown and New York City offices of Ogletree Deakins. He has a career-long commitment to representing employers in all aspects of traditional labor relations. Mr. Stuart has extensive experience representing management in collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, union organizing campaigns, as well as unfair labor practice and representation proceedings. He has significant experience in the construction, manufacturing, gaming, waste collection and recycling, warehousing, transportation, logistics, hospitality and service sectors.

Mr. Stuart has successfully counseled clients in virtually every aspect of labor law including implementing long range labor strategies, strike preparations and injunctions, project labor agreements, prevailing wage litigation, complex business mergers, relocations, plant closings, corporate campaigns, and maintaining positive employee relations. Mr. Stuart is a veteran litigator and is counsel of record in numerous reported decisions of the National Labor Relations Board. He has litigated before the NLRB a multitude of significant unfair labor practice matters including allegations of mass refusal to hire, surface bargaining, unilateral changes, and claims of unlawful discipline and discharge.

Mr. Stuart has developed and presented training programs for supervisors dealing with labor law compliance and other topics for human resources professionals. Mr. Stuart is a member of the firm’s traditional labor steering committee and is also the author of numerous blogs and articles on developing labor relations issues. He also serves on the National Labor Relations Board, Region 22 Practice and Procedure Committee.

Traditional Labor Relations, Employment Law, Mergers and Acquisitions
Hospitality, Defense Contracting, Manufacturing, Trucking and Logistics
Learn more about Eric C. Stuart

In addition to handling the full spectrum of traditional labor relations matters before the NLRB, Mr. Stuart also defends employers before state and federal courts, the EEOC and state agencies in prevailing wage, discrimination, sexual harassment, restrictive covenant, ERISA and wage and hour matters.

Representative Reported Cases

  • Framan Mechanical Inc. 343 NLRB 53 (2004) (NLRB overruled the administrative law judge and concluded that a construction contractor did not unlawfully discharge multiple union supporters during an organizational campaign).
  • People Care, Inc. 327 NLRB 814 (1999) (successfully defended health care employer against allegations of bad faith bargaining).
  • Sansla, Inc. 323 NLRB 107 (1997) (successfully defended a construction contractor in connection with allegations that a union contract extended beyond a single project to all of the company’s operations).
  • Control Services, Inc. 319 NLRB 1195 (1995) (successfully defended a janitorial company against allegations of mass refusal to hire union members).
  • Schnabel v. Abramson, 232 F.3d 82 (2d Cir 2000) (case of first impression where Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in favor of the employer on ADEA claim).
  • Cement and Concrete Workers District Council Welfare Funds v. Structural Preservation Systems, Inc. 1999 U.S. App Lexis 29674 (2d Cir. 1999) (court affirmed decision of district court after multi-day ERISA bench trial that construction contractor did not agree to make benefit fund contributions beyond a single project).
  • Jersey Dept. of Labor v. P&R Construction, Inc. 1997 WL359042 (N.J. Adm), 97 N.J.A.R.2d (LBR) 43 (successfully defended public construction contractor in 3-day prevailing wage bench trial involving Department of Labor’s attempt to impose the penalty of debarment).

Education

  • J.D., Albany Law School of Union University, 1988
  • B.A., cum laude, State University of New York at Albany, 1985

Admittance to Practice

  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

Professional Activities

  • The NLRB Region 22 Practice and Procedure Committee
  • American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Sections)
  • The New Jersey State and New York State Bar Associations
  • The Sidney Reitman Employment Law American Inn of Court

Speeches

  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "It's Not Your First Rodeo (or Maybe It Is): Avoiding Critical Missteps and Protecting Your Business Through Collective Bargaining" - Las Vegas - May 3, 2019
  • Managing a Workforce in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut - "When the Pendulum Swings: Understanding the New Rules from the NLRB" - New York - April 4, 2019
  • Ogletree Deakins Labor Law Solutions - "Advanced Right to Work: How Right to Work Actually Works" - Las Vegas - December 6, 2018
  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "The Latest Collective Bargaining Techniques—Has Your Duty to Bargain Changed?" - Phoenix - May 10, 2018
  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "Labor Strategy From Scratch: Soup to Nuts Preparation" - San Diego - May 3, 2017
  • Ogletree Deakins Not Your Father's Labor Law Environment Seminar - "Dealing with Sticky Situations at the Bargaining Table" - Las Vegas - December 9, 2016
  • Ogletree Deakins Not Your Father's Labor Law Environment Seminar - "The Ever Expanding Definition of Employee" - Las Vegas - December 8, 2016
  • Not Your Father’s NLRB - "Labor Law Developments" - Las Vegas - December 11, 2015
  • Ogletree Deakins Webinar - "Understanding the NLRB’s New “Ambush Election” Rules" - June 18, 2015
  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "Organized Employers Beware: New Legal Pitfalls Courtesy of the NLRB" - San Antonio - May 15, 2015
  • Ogletree Deakins National Webinar - "Purple Communications: How Has the NLRB's New Ruling Changed Workplace Emails?" - December 17, 2014
  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies 2014 - "Where the Dice Land: Petitions, ULP Charges, and Remedies at Different NLRB Regional Offices" - Las Vegas - May 2014
  • Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "Collective Bargaining Standards" - Florham Park - April 5, 2012
  • Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "Not Your Father's NLRB - The New Organizing Dynamic" - Chicago - May 2011
  • Stafford Publications Webinar - "National Labor Relations Act Obligations for Union and Non-Union Employers" - April 2011
  • Ogletree Deakins Breakfast Briefing - "NLRB Compliance Update" - Morristown - March 2011
  • Ogletree Deakins Breakfast Briefing - "Labor Relations Update" - Morristown - December 2010
  • Business and Legal Resources (BLR) Webinar - "How to Effectively and Legally Resist Union Drives and Activities in Your Workplace" - July 2010
  • New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Ogletree Deakins Labor and Employment Law Briefing - "Remaining Union-Free As Organized Labor Turns Up the Heat" - Morristown - May 2010
  • American Fire Sprinkler Association/New Jersey Association of Fire Equipment Distributors - "The Importance of Documentation: Avoiding a Plaintiff-Friendly Workplace" - Mountainside - February 2010
  • Ogletree Deakins Webinar - "The Fundamentals of Labor Law: Understanding the NLRA" - November 2009
  • Mid-Atlantic Employers Association, Labor Relations and Employment Law Seminar - "Remaining Union-Free in a Recharged Organizing Environment" - Philadelphia - October 2009
  • International Warehouse Logistics Association - "Positive Employee Relations" - Bridgewater - December 2008
  • Mid Atlantic Employers Association Labor Relations and Employment Law Seminar - "Preparing for the Employee Free Choice Act" - Philadelphia - November 2008
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School - "Labor Relations – A Management Attorney’s Perspective" - Philadelphia - November 2008
  • National Labor Relations Board Region 22 Labor Law Conference - "Unilateral Changes by Employers During The Term of a Collective Bargaining Agreement" - Mountainside - November 2006
  • Interstate Labor Standards Association, Prevailing Wage Act Seminar - "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act Compliance: A Defense Attorney’s Perspective" - Atlantic City - October 2006
  • August 2012 - 34 New Jersey Labor and Employment Law Quarterly 1 - "NLRB Employee Rights Notice: Permissible Rulemaking Or Agency Overreach? Has The Board Disturbed The Congressional Sound Of Silence?"
  • December 17, 2014 - HR Morning - "NLRB's 'Ambush' Election Rule: 12 Things All Employers Need to Know Now"
  • December 11, 2014 - Law360 - "Lawyers Weigh In on NLRB Employer Email Ruling"
  • September 1, 2014 - NJ.com - "As Unions Fade, Middle Class Fades with Them: Editorial"
  • August 5, 2014 - Law360 - "How Employers Can Fight 'Micro-Units' At The NLRB"

Insights by Eric C. Stuart

Document titled "Labor Law" with gavel on top.

The Practical NLRB Advisor: Spring 2019

Ogletree Deakins’ Traditional Labor Relations Practice Group is pleased to announce the publication of the spring 2019 issue of the Practical NLRB Advisor. This edition provides a close look at the development of the independent-contractor standard at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB’s recent decision on this issue—one of the most critical legal questions of the day, both in the context of traditional labor law and in employment law generally—marks yet another significant reversal of Obama-era NLRB decisional law.

Document titled "Labor Law" with gavel on top.

The Practical NLRB Advisor: Fall 2018

Ogletree Deakins’ Traditional Labor Relations Practice Group is pleased to announce the publication of the fall 2018 issue of the Practical NLRB Advisor. This issue examines the Supreme Court’s decision in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis, which is destined to have a profound impact on the labor movement and on labor-management relations.

Woman with megaphone against orange wall.

The Practical NLRB Advisor: Spring 2018

Ogletree Deakins’ Traditional Labor Relations Practice Group is pleased to announce the publication of the spring 2018 issue of the Practical NLRB Advisor. This issue examines the evolution of the controversial joint-employer saga as it develops at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

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