NLRB Rules Century Linen Unlawfully Ousted Union

Commercial laundry company must now bargain with union it tried to remove, labor board says.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:48pm

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a stack of crisp, white linen sheets and a metal laundry tag, arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background and dramatically lit to convey the tension between labor and management in the commercial laundry industry.A labor dispute over union representation exposes the high-stakes battle between workers and management in the commercial laundry business.Rochester Today

The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that Century Linen & Uniform Inc., a commercial laundry and linen rental company, committed a series of unfair labor practices in its efforts to remove Rochester Regional Joint Board Local 368 as the representative of workers at three of its facilities in upstate New York. The NLRB ordered the company to bargain with the union it had unlawfully tried to decertify.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing tensions between labor unions and some employers who seek to limit union influence, even when it violates federal labor laws. The NLRB ruling affirms workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively, a core tenet of U.S. labor policy.

The details

According to the NLRB decision, Century Linen committed a number of unfair labor practices in its campaign to remove the union, including soliciting employees to sign a decertification petition, withdrawing recognition from the union based on that tainted petition, and barring the union from its facilities.

  • The NLRB issued its ruling on April 7, 2026.

The players

Century Linen & Uniform Inc.

A commercial laundry and linen rental company based in upstate New York.

Rochester Regional Joint Board Local 368

The labor union that represented workers at three Century Linen facilities and was the target of the company's unlawful decertification campaign.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

The federal agency that enforces U.S. labor laws and ruled against Century Linen's actions in this case.

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What’s next

The NLRB has ordered Century Linen to bargain with the union it had unlawfully tried to remove. The company must also post notices informing workers of their rights.

The takeaway

This NLRB ruling affirms the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively, a core principle of U.S. labor law that some employers continue to challenge through unlawful means.