Scabby, Fat Cat find town signage ban lawful

Labor Daze

By Frank J. Saibert

Frank J. Saibert is a partner in the labor and employment practice at Nixon, Peabody LLP. He represents public- and private-sector employers nationwide in labor relations and employment matters. He is past president of the Chicago chapter of the National Human Resources Association and a former Lyons Township committeeman. He can be reached at fjsaibert@nixonpeabody.com.

Posted March 13, 2019 9:07 AM

Those who have walked around the Loop undoubtedly have encountered Scabby the Rat.Scabby, of course, is the giant inflatable rat that labor unions often display to publicize their disputes with employers.Scabby and his inflatable sidekick, Fat Cat, last month met their match when the 7th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Wisconsin town lawfully could employ its signage ban to deflate the longtime representations of labor unrest. Construction and General Laborers’ Union No. 330 v. Town of Grand Chute (&ldquo …

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