Partners Mark Bennett, Thomas Bradley and Jill O’Brien to Present at the Chicago-Kent Law School Annual Public Sector Labor Law Conference
Laner Muchin Partners Mark Bennett, Thomas Bradley and Jill O’Brien will discuss strikes and impasse resolution under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act (IPLRA) and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act (IELRA), employment matters relating to the IPLRA and COVID-19 vaccination policies and requirements at the Chicago-Kent College of Law’s 37th Annual Illinois Public Sector Labor Relations Law Conference on December 2-3.
Mark’s panel session, entitled “Nuts and Bolts of Strikes and Impasse Resolution,” will examine the basics of impasse resolution with respect to the IPLRA and IELRA, focusing on the right to strike and the right to interest arbitration. Mark will share insights along with fellow panelists Gary Bailey of the Illinois FOP Labor Council, Robb Craddock, Senior Director of Labor & Employee Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, John Weathers, Commissioner of Mediation of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and Melissa Auerbach, Partner at Dowd, Bloch, Bennett, Cervone, Auerbach & Yokich. The session will be held on Thursday, December 2 from 10:35-11:50 am CT.
Tom will present on a panel featuring Helen Kim, General Counsel of the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and Jerry Marzullo, Partner at Asher, Gittler & D’Alba, discussing significant recent decisions concerning the IPLRA. In addition, the panel will provide a written summary of all Illinois Labor Relations Board and IPLRA court decisions issued in the past year. The session will be held virtually on Thursday, December 2 from 9:10-10:25 am CT.
Jill’s session, entitled “Vaccination Issues,” will take place on Friday, December 3 from 10:25-11:40 am CT. Along with fellow panelists Alice Johnson, General Counsel of the Cook Country College Teachers Union, Mary Madden, Chief Legal Counsel & Ethics Officer of the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and Tyson Roan, Chief of Staff of SEIU Local 73, Jill will share insights on:
- Vaccine policies and requirements in the context of the Illinois Human Rights Act
- The application of reasonable accommodation provisions for medical or religious reasons
- Legal responsibilities under the IELRA and the IPLRA-related mandatory bargaining obligations concerning vaccination policies
- Legal developments related to the Illinois Healthcare Right of Conscience Act
- Court decisions involving legal challenges to the denial of accommodation requests, employee privacy and constitutional grounds
To learn more about the virtual conference and to register to attend, click here.
Mark regularly negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of employers for bargaining units and represents employers in Union election and representation cases and unfair labor practice cases before the National Labor Relations Board, the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. In addition, he provides advice to employers on nearly a daily basis on labor and employment law issues, as well as representing employers in labor matters before independent arbitrators. Mark is a frequent speaker on labor issues at the Chicago-Kent School of Law Public Sector Labor Law Forum, and has conducted seminars for management personnel on legal and practical employment relations matters.
Tom focuses his practice on public sector labor and employment issues with specific experience in cases and legislation concerning the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and other state statutes. He also represents private sector employers in injunction actions and trials in state and federal court and provides employers with day-to-day counseling and strategy on labor and employment matters.
Jill’s practice is centered on the representation of public and private sector employers in a wide variety of labor relations and employment matters. With experience in collective bargaining negotiations, grievance handling, mediation, interest arbitration hearings and more, Jill skillfully assists clients with whatever legal employment challenges they face.
Firm Profile: Laner Muchin, Ltd. concentrates in the representation of employers in labor relations, employment litigation, employee benefits and business immigration matters. The firm provides legal services to clients from coast to coast.
