Nashua Corp. v. Paper Allied Union

**Nashua Corp. v. Paper Allied Union: Court Protects Early Retiree Benefits** This case involved a dispute between Nashua Corporation and the Paper Allied Union over healthcare benefits for early retirees. The company wanted to eliminate health insurance coverage for workers who had already retired early, but the union argued that the collective bargaining agreement prevented the company from making this change. An arbitrator initially ruled in favor of the union, deciding that Nashua Corporation did not have the authority under their existing contract to cut off early retirees' healthcare benefits. Nashua Corporation then went to court, asking a judge to overturn the arbitrator's decision through a summary judgment motion. The court sided with the union and denied Nashua's request. The judge upheld the arbitrator's ruling and granted the union's counter-motion for summary judgment, confirming that the company could not eliminate the early retirees' healthcare coverage. **What this means for workers:** This decision reinforces that companies cannot unilaterally change negotiated benefits, even for retirees. When unions negotiate healthcare benefits for early retirees as part of a collective bargaining agreement, employers must honor those commitments and cannot simply eliminate them without proper authorization under the contract.