Recent filings with the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) have exposed companies engaging in union-busting. 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.
The data below, compiled from recent LM-20 filings, reveals multiple instances of employers retaining costly union-busting services to manage labor discussions and union drives:
Recent Employer-Consultant Persuader Agreements
- CenterPoint Energy in Houston, TX, entered into an agreement with union-busting consultant EVGV, LLC on November 25, 2025. The agreement was secured at a rate of $250 per hour in relation to a campaign involving IBEW 2286. The associated NLRB Case, 16-RC-375154, was recently checked on December 28, 2025, and is open.
- Grecian Delight Foods Inc. in Glendale Heights, IL, entered into an agreement with consultant GNE Consulting Services, Inc. on December 17, 2025. GNE Consulting Services secured at a rate of $212.50 per hour in relation to a campaign involving IBT 710. The associated NLRB Case, 13-RC-377093, was recently checked on January 2, 2026, and is currently open.
- Amazon DGT8 in Alpharetta, GA, entered into an agreement with consultant Edward Hinkle on November 24, 2025. Hinkle was paid a rate of $2,600 per day.
- Volvo Parts North America in Joliet, IL, entered into an agreement with union-buster Keith Williams on October 20, 2025. The consultation was secured at a rate of $2,200 per day in relation to a campaign involving IBT 179. The associated NLRB Case, 13-RC-374906, was recently checked on December 28, 2025, and is currently open.
- North East Medical Center in Daly City, CA, entered into an agreement with consultant East Coast Labor Relations, LLC on December 1, 2025. The firm paid a rate of $4,000 per day.
- Cayuga Health System in Ithaca, NY, entered into an agreement with consultants at LRI Consulting Services, Inc. on December 5, 2025. LRI secured at a rate of $525 per hour in relation to a campaign involving CWA 1. The associated NLRB Case, 03-RC-378034, was recently checked on January 5, 2026, and is currently recorded as open.
- Paradise Point in San Diego, CA, entered into an agreement with consultant Legacy Consulting on June 16, 2025 in relation to a campaign involving UNITE HERE 30. The associated NLRB Case, 21-RC-367465, was recently checked on January 8, 2026, and is currently open.
- Exclusive Heating & Cooling Co, Inc. in Detroit, MI, entered into an agreement with consultant Permanent Solutions Labor Consultants on November 21, 2025. The union-busting services were secured at a rate of $400 per hour plus $10,000 retainer in relation to a campaign involving SMART 80. The associated NLRB Case, 07-RC-375360, was recently checked on January 8, 2026, and is currently recorded as open.
- Church of Christ Care Community in Clinton Township, MI, entered into an agreement with consultant Labor Consulting Group LLC on December 1, 2025. The union-buster was paid at a rate of $395 per hour in relation to a campaign involving IAEP 103. The associated NLRB Case, 07-RC-373943, was recently checked on January 8, 2026, and is currently recorded as open.
- Marymount Healthcare, LLC in Garfield, OH, entered into an agreement with consultant Labor Consulting Group, LLC on December 8, 2025. The union-busting firm was hired at a rate of $395 per hour in relation to a campaign involving IAEP 103. The associated NLRB Case, 08-RM-375924, was recently checked on January 8, 2026, and is currently recorded as closed.
The Role of LM-20 Filings and Persuader Tactics
The filing of LM-20 forms provides essential 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—information that can significantly affect how employees evaluate an anti-union message.
Unfortunately, the labor relations industry’s compliance with these transparency rules is often low, and enforcement needs significant improvement. Consultants are required to file the LM-20 within 30 days of entering into an agreement, but late and non-filing remains a pervasive issue that undermines the LMRDA’s goal of informed worker choice.
How Anti-Union “Persuaders” Operate
Anti-union “persuaders” can significantly impact the outcome of unionization drives. These consultants are highly compensated and employ a range of tactics to thwart union organizing efforts, often involving manipulation and intimidation. Workers should be aware that the high rates paid to these consultants come directly from the employer’s budget, demonstrating a significant investment in discouraging union activity.
These common persuader tactics include:
- Disseminating False and Misleading Information: Consultants often spread inaccurate information about unions, their finances, and their potential impact on worker benefits to sow fear and distrust.
- Employing Intimidation Tactics: This frequently involves mandatory captive audience meetings, where anti-union messages are delivered by management or consultants during work hours, making attendance compulsory and dissent difficult.
- Engaging in Surveillance: Consultants may monitor union activity, look for weak points in the organizing committee, and target pro-union employees for further “persuasion” or, in some cases, disciplinary action.
- Conducting One-on-One Meetings: They may train supervisors to hold individual meetings and collect personal employee information that can be leveraged against organizing workers during the campaign.
The disclosure of the employer-consultant relationship via the LM-20 form is the right of every worker. Knowing the employer has hired an expensive outside professional—whose sole purpose is to “persuade” against unionization—allows workers to assess the source and intent of the anti-union campaign and make a more informed choice.