Reference no: EM131825492

Question: 1. Tryging to strike a balance. In order to bargain for the health and safety of employees, the oil, Chemical and Atomic workers union demanded that sveral employers disclose the generic names of chemical substances used or produced, as well as the medical records of employees. The employers refused, claiming that disclosure would both invade the privacy of employees and compromise trade secrets. With some limitations, NLRB in 1982 held that the employers did not bargain in good faith when they refused to divulge such information. While upholding the union's request, the bord asserted that few maters could be of greater concern to employees "than exposure to working condidiotns potentially threatening their helth, well-being or their very loves". However, the bord also ruled that the employers could conceal individual employee identities before turning over the medical records ans also that the managements did not have to disclose the generic names of chemicals that constituted proprietary trade secrets. Thus, NLRB attemted to strike a balance between conflicting interest: the employer's dessire to protect both worker privancy and trade secrets and the union's need for material information about potentially life threatening work conditions.

How do you feel about this NLRB decision? ( Please. write words 300 or 350)