Veteran labor lawyer takes on new challenge

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/26/BU5VUL8F5.DTL

George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, January 26, 2008

As a Stanford law professor emeritus with nearly 40 years of labor arbitration and mediation experience, William Gould IV is entitled to some down time - but that won't be coming anytime soon.

Gould, 71, is embarking on a new challenge, having been appointed this month an independent monitor of labor organizing campaigns at a major transportation company often at loggerheads with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The company is First Group America, based in Cincinnati. Its parent is First Group PLC of Great Britain. It is the owner of Greyhound and Laidlaw International, the leading operator of school and urban bus transportation, among other holdings.

First Group has a corporate social responsibility policy of "freedom of association," meaning employees should be free from coercion when considering whether they want union representation.

Gould and his staff will investigate any allegations of violations of the policy. They will be paid for their services by the parent company but will not be employees.

First Group America has about 87,000 employees, 40 percent of them members of unions. The Teamsters currently represent about 14,000 of the workers.

FULL story at link.