John K. Baker Counsel

John K. Baker has 30+ years of experience in labor-management relations and has been responsible for enhancing the legal well-being of White and Williams' labor clients. In addition to cities in Pennsylvania, he had dealt with unions in Baltimore, Boston, Indianapolis, Newark, New York City, Pittsburgh and Portland. Among the unions Mr. Baker has faced are various locals of the Teamsters, Ironworkers, Carpenters, IBEW, AFSCME, SEIU, UFCW, Laborers, Printers, Boilermakers, UAW, UNITE-HERE, Steelworkers, FOP, IAFF, Confectioners and Transport Workers. He has shepherded management through virtually every conceivable labor issue, including mass picketing, political pressure, unfair labor practice charges, representation and unit clarification issues, grievances, arbitration, collective bargaining and contract administration.

In addition to his labor experience, clients have sought out John’s services in OSHA hazard defense and retaliation cases. He has been consulted on death cases, as well as, fall protection, PPE and various other issues in a variety of industries. 

He also represents management in matters involving state and federal employment discrimination and civil rights, wage and hour issues, retaliation claims, wrongful discharge, defamation, prevailing wage, unemployment compensation, trade secrets and restrictive covenants. 

John is an Arbitrator for the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Lawyer's Assistance and Federal Practice Committees. For the past ten years, he has served as contributing Editor to an ABA publication, The Developing Labor Law. 

He has served as adjunct faculty for Labor Relations and Employment Law Courses at Penn State Lehigh Valley, Penn State Berks, DeSales University, Muhlenberg College and Harcum College. John has also been a contributing writer for Pennsylvania Law Weekly.

Representative Matters

• Successfully defended national aeronautic company in dozens of NLRB and OSHA proceedings in Boston and Atlanta
• Has stood toe-to-toe with Teamsters, SEIU, Steelworkers, Carpenters, IBEW, UNITE-HERE, Warehouse Workers, UAW and several other Unions
• Represented public employer in union negotiations, civil rights defenses, grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice hearings
• Negotiated wage freeze in public employer collective bargaining agreement
• Appointed as Interest Arbitrator by local municipality in Act 111 arbitration

Recognition & Involvement

John was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Allentown YMCA/YWCA and the Clara Barton Society Award by the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley for the highest achievement in volunteer leadership. He was named an MS Corporate Achiever for contributions to the Lehigh Valley/Greater Berks areas and the President’s Legal Eagle by the President of the Bar Association of Lehigh County for contributions to the Bar. In 2011, Mr. Baker testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Labor and Industry Committee regarding his own insights relating to proposed unemployment compensation legislation. In 2017, he was named a Local Legal Leader by Lehigh Valley Magazine.