Are employers constrained in the use of employee participation groups by section 8(a)(2) of the National Labor Relations Act?

Abstract

Employee participation groups (EPGs) are increasingly used by American employers (Eaton, 1994; Finding 3 of S. 295 ]TEAM Act, 1997]). Some EPGs have a specific and narrow purpose, such as continuous improvement of product quality, while others are broader and less defined. EPGs are often found in firms that have trimmed management jobs, flattened their organizational structure, and embraced employee empowerment. The increased use of such groups, a 20-year trend still in progress, also coincides with the American labor movement's membership decline.