Recent filings with the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) continue to expose companies that engage “persuader” consultants. These LM-20 forms are a crucial mechanism for transparency, required when employers enlist outside labor relations consultants to influence employees regarding their rights to organize and bargain collectively.
These filings reveal new instances of employers retaining persuader services:
- Amazon DLN3 (Arlington Heights, IL) engaged North River Consulting LLC on August 25, 2025, for a rate of $250 per hour, in a campaign involving IBT 939.
- FreshPoint Central California. Inc. (Turlock, CA) enlisted ACTION RESOURCES on August 22, 2025, for a rate of $3,950 per day, in a campaign involving IBT 386.
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health (Lebanon, NH) engaged Labor Educators LLC on February 27, 2025, for a rate of $400 per hour, in a campaign involving SEIU 1984.
- DTE Energy Co (Detroit, MI) retained Greer Consulting, Inc on April 9, 2025, for a rate of $475 per hour, in a campaign involving UWUA 223.
- Parc Auto (NEW ALBANY, IN) enlisted Lewis Labor Relations on September 3, 2025, in a campaign involving the UAW.
The Role of LM-20 Filings and Persuader Tactics
The filing of LM-20 forms provides transparency into employer-consultant agreements aimed at influencing employees’ decisions regarding union representation. The U.S. Department of Labor mandates these disclosures to ensure workers are aware when outside parties are involved in their workplace’s labor discussions. Unfortunately, the labor relations industry’s compliance with these transparency rules is low, and enforcement needs significant improvement.
Anti-union “persuaders” can significantly impact the outcome of unionization drives. These consultants employ a range of tactics to thwart union organizing efforts, including:
- Disseminating false and misleading information about unions and their potential impact on worker benefits.
- Employing intimidation tactics such as mandatory captive audience meetings where anti-union messages are delivered.
- Engaging in surveillance, monitoring union activity, and targeting pro-union employees.
- Conducting one-on-one meetings and collecting personal employee information that can be leveraged against organizing workers.
