What We Do

The attorneys at Kainen, Escalera & McHale represent management on labor law matters in Connecticut and elsewhere. As labor counsel to our clients we provide a wide array of services for both private and public sector employers in the following areas of labor relations:

✓ Serve as chief negotiator in collective bargaining
✓ Represent public sector employers in interest arbitration proceedings
✓ Assist employers in grievance processing and represent employers in arbitrations before various dispute resolution agencies
✓ Assist with contract administration and interpretation
✓ Advise concerning discipline and discharge of unionized employees
✓ Assist with union avoidance/selection issues
✓ Defend private sector employers in unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board
✓ Defend public sector employers in prohibited practice complaints before the State Board of Labor Relations

Members of Our Labor Law Team

Our Approach to Labor Issues

We believe that we have two responsibilities to our clients in every labor relations situation:

1. to help our clients formulate a strategy that works for them – sometimes by asking the hard questions; and
2. to execute our clients’ strategy and achieve the objectives in the most efficient, effective way possible.

This pragmatic approach has resulted in our settling some contracts in one meeting and in other situations guiding clients through multi-year labor disputes. We recognize that each employer and contract negotiation has unique circumstances that require special skill and attention.   We further believe contract negotiations are successful when a voluntary agreement is reached expeditiously and with the least disruptive impact on the employees or the organization. Our aim is to add value to our clients’ relationship with their employees through the negotiation process, not to make that relationship more challenging.

Although we pride ourselves on our ability to reach negotiated agreements at the bargaining table, from time to time we are required to assist our public sector clients in the interest arbitration process. In those cases, we have been successful in convincing arbitrators to award wage freezes, more cost effect health insurance plans, reduction in pension benefits, language broadly expanding the employer’s management rights and other management-friendly provisions. For our private sector clients, we have successfully assisted in strike/lockout situations.

The depth and breadth of our labor relations experience provides advantages to our clients in Connecticut. For every client and in every situation we bring knowledge and practical experience and combine them with integrity, creativity, credibility and professionalism. We take pride in our reputation with adversaries, arbitrators and government officials. Ultimately our reputation works to our client’s benefit.