Commonwealth v. Labor Relations Commission

**What the Case Was About** The Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation transferred supervisory duties that had traditionally been performed by union workers to non-union employees. The union complained that the department made this change without giving them notice or a chance to negotiate about it first, as required by collective bargaining law. **What the Court Decided** The court sided with the union and upheld the Labor Relations Commission's ruling against the department. The court found that the department violated collective bargaining laws when it moved union work to non-union employees without proper notice or negotiation. The department was ordered to engage in "impact bargaining" - meaning they had to negotiate about how this change affected union workers - and provide remedies including back pay to affected workers. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling protects unionized workers' job security by requiring employers to follow proper procedures before transferring union work to non-union employees. Employers can't simply reassign bargaining unit work without giving the union notice and an opportunity to negotiate. When employers violate these rules, they may have to provide back pay and other remedies to make workers whole.