Perdue Farms Inc v. NLRB

**Perdue Farms Inc. v. NLRB (1998)** This case involved Perdue Farms, a poultry company, and allegations that it interfered with workers' efforts to organize a union. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that Perdue had committed several unfair labor practices during a union election campaign. Specifically, the company illegally questioned employees about their union activities, strategically timed wage increases to influence voting, and changed attendance policies in ways designed to discourage union support. Perdue challenged the NLRB's findings in federal court, but the Court of Appeals sided with the NLRB. The court denied Perdue's request to overturn the ruling and instead enforced the NLRB's order against the company. This decision matters for workers because it reinforces important protections during union organizing campaigns. Employers cannot interrogate workers about union activities, manipulate wages or benefits to influence union votes, or change workplace policies specifically to undermine organizing efforts. When companies violate these rules, the NLRB can step in and courts will back up workers' rights. This case shows that federal labor law provides real protection for employees who want to organize, and courts will enforce those protections even against large employers.