Appeal of State Employees' Ass'n of New Hampshire, Inc.

**Union Wins Right to Contact Workers About Election** This case involved a dispute between the State Employees' Association of New Hampshire and the state's Public Utilities Commission over access to employee contact information. The union wanted to get names and home addresses of workers so they could communicate with them about an upcoming union representation election. The Public Employee Labor Relations Board (PELRB) denied the union's request for this information. The New Hampshire court sided with the union and overturned the PELRB's decision. The court ruled that the PELRB had violated its own mandatory rules, which require that parties appearing on election ballots must be given access to employee names and home addresses. The court sent the case back to the PELRB and ordered a new election to be held. This decision matters for workers because it protects their right to receive information from unions during representation elections. When unions can contact workers directly at home, employees get a fuller picture of their options before voting. This helps ensure that workplace democracy functions properly and that workers can make informed decisions about whether they want union representation.