In an earlier post on this site, we told you about the executive order New Jersey Governor Christie issued on the second day of his administration. It made unions subject to the same rules re political donations as businesses in New Jersey.
On Friday, however, an appellate court in New Jersey ruled that the governor exceeded his authority in issuing the executive order. Click here for the Businessweek story. The court reasoned that the governor invaded the province of the state legislature.
The court’s decision in New Jersey invalidates the Executive Order. Thus, for those in New Jersey, it is no longer of any substantive effect. We will continue to monitor developments in the event a further appeal is taken or Gov. Christie responds with a legislative effort to counter the Court’s ruling.
In the meantime, many of the points made in the first post about this development remain applicable. The practicing labor professional should keep in mind the potential impact of executive action, whether at the state or the federal level, on union organizing and labor relations.