Mr. Cannon has more than 15 years of experience representing clients in a full array of labor and employment matters, with a focus on traditional labor. He has represented both public sector entities and private businesses in numerous industries, including health care, hospitality, higher education, retail, manufacturing, and distribution. Mr. Cannon works closely with his clients to ensure compliance with labor and employment laws and avoid workplace disputes in a manner that is least disruptive to the organization's business goals. When issues do arise, he draws upon his years of experience advising and defending clients through the processes of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Department of Labor (DOL), and corresponding state and local agencies.
Mr. Cannon has extensive experience as lead trial counsel in cases before the NLRB and state labor boards. His experience in this regard includes preparation of witnesses for examination, cross-examination of adverse witnesses, and introduction of documentary evidence. Along with that, Mr. Cannon routinely represents his clients in labor arbitrations involving discharge and crucial contract interpretation issues.
Mr. Cannon also has deep experience conducting union avoidance programs for clients whose operations are vulnerable to union organizing. Businesses that are faced with NLRB election petitions routinely call upon Mr. Cannon to advise them through the NLRB's involved election process, represent them in pre-election and post-election NLRB litigation, and to assist with election campaigns. That assistance runs the gamut from serving as a sounding board for, and legal review of, campaign communications, to soup-to-nuts planning of the entire campaign and drafting of speeches and other campaign materials.
Businesses and governmental bodies whose employees are represented by a union rely on Mr. Cannon for his experience and in-depth knowledge of collective bargaining. He has negotiated hundreds of labor agreements – including many first contracts – for hospitals, hotels, major universities, and other business and government entities. At all times, he works with his clients to determine their business goals and to ensure that the contract terms being negotiated further the client's goals. Oftentimes, this requires planning over a number of years and contract cycles, achieving these bargaining objectives in steps. When negotiations result in a confrontation, Mr. Cannon routinely counsels his clients through picketing, strikes, and other concerted action and pressure applied by unions. He has counseled numerous hospitals, hotels, and universities through strikes, including working with the client to prepare strike plans, making quick legal decisions in the midst of a strike, negotiating terms to end a strike, and other related litigation, such as seeking injunctive relief in court in response to illegal work stoppages or other misconduct.
In addition to traditional labor matters, he offers general advice and counsel on employment matters, such as investigating and responding to EEOC charges and discrimination charges filed with state human relations agencies. Mr. Cannon has represented clients in Title VII and wage and hour cases in federal and state courts, as well as in on-site investigations conducted by the DOL and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).