Wright Electric, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board

**Wright Electric Company Discriminated Against Union Member Job Applicant** This case involved Wright Electric, Inc., which refused to consider hiring Louis Lutz because he was a union member. The company also improperly demanded to see union authorization cards during the legal process, apparently trying to intimidate workers who had signed them. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) investigated and found that Wright Electric broke federal labor law. The company appealed this decision to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, but the appeals court sided with the NLRB. The court confirmed that Wright Electric illegally discriminated against Lutz because of his union membership and improperly tried to obtain sensitive union documents that could be used to retaliate against employees. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling reinforces important protections for workers. Employers cannot refuse to hire someone simply because they belong to a union or support union activities. Companies also cannot use the legal system to try to discover which employees support unions, as this creates a chilling effect that discourages workers from exercising their rights. Workers have the right to join unions and engage in union activities without facing job discrimination or intimidation tactics from employers.