(1) An individual shall be disqualified for benefits for any week with respect to which the commissioner finds that the individual's unemployment is:
(a) Due to a strike at the factory, establishment, or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed; or
(b) Due to a lockout by his or her employer who is a member of a multi-employer bargaining unit and who has locked out the employees at the factory, establishment, or other premises at which the individual is or was last employed after one member of the multi-employer bargaining unit has been struck by its employees as a result of the multi-employer bargaining process.
(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply if it is shown to the satisfaction of the commissioner that:
(a) The individual is not participating in or financing or directly interested in the strike or lockout that caused the individual's unemployment; and
(b) The individual does not belong to a grade or class of workers of which, immediately before the commencement of the strike or lockout, there were members employed at the premises at which the strike or lockout occurs, any of whom are participating in or financing or directly interested in the strike or lockout: PROVIDED, That if in any case separate branches of work which are commonly conducted as separate businesses in separate premises are conducted in separate departments of the same premises, each such department shall, for the purpose of this subdivision, be deemed to be a separate factory, establishment, or other premises.
(3) Any disqualification imposed under this section shall end when the strike or lockout is terminated.
Labor dispute study—1988 c 83: "(1) The department of employment security shall study and analyze the impact of section 1 of this act on the number of claimants receiving unemployment insurance benefits and the total amount of benefits paid, and on the type, frequency, duration, and outcome of labor disputes. In performing the study the department shall specifically address the impact of section 1(1)(b) of this act on the above subjects.
(2) In performing its duties under this section the department shall periodically convene meetings with representatives of labor and management, including but not limited to representatives of the following: A general business association; an organization broadly representing organized labor; the construction industry; construction industry organized labor; the trade industry; trade industry organized labor; the manufacturing industry; manufacturing industry organized labor; the service industry; service industry organized labor; the transportation industry; transportation industry organized labor; the communication industry; and communication industry organized labor.
(3) For the purpose of studying and analyzing the impact of section 1(1)(b) of this act the department shall periodically convene, in addition to those meetings specified in subsection (2) of this section, meetings with representatives of labor and management from industries with multi-employer bargaining units, including but not limited to representatives from a general business association; an organization broadly representing organized labor; the retail trade industry; and retail trade industry organized labor.
(4) The department shall report its findings to the governor, the senate economic development and labor committee, and the house of representatives commerce and labor committee, or the appropriate successor committees, by the commencement of the 1990 regular session of the legislature." [
1988 c 83 § 2.]
Applicability—Effective date—1987 c 2: "(1) This act shall apply retrospectively to all applicable employers and employees as of November 16, 1986.
(2) This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately [February 20, 1987]." [
1987 c 2 § 4.]