It's a classic Yale tactic in terms of trying to shut up Yale workers. Leaders of Locals 34 and 35 said the move was a bargaining ploy designed to undermine Yale's unions and strengthen the University's hand in negotiations. But the University's decision to file unfair labor practice charges could amount to little more than aggressive posturing if the NLRB fails to uphold the University's claims. The NLRB will review the case, and if it finds just cause in the University's complaint, it will seek an injunction against Locals 34 and 35 in federal court. It's hard to say whether this case was right.
Workers have First Amendment rights to inform the public of labor disputes.
But University officials said the unions stepped over the line between legal information and intimidation of community members. There are lots of activities the unions can pursue that aren't illegal said John Clune associate general counsel. Things such as peacefully handbuilding might be perfectly fine, but coercion is not. Some observers said that the latest skirmish between Yale and its unions signals that Yale has not escaped the ghosts of past labor disputes. And the University has not been very recpetive to the process of unionization.