The U.S. Supreme Court case National Labor Relations Board v. Raytheon Co., et al., 1969, revolved around the issue of whether a company's unilateral change in employment conditions constituted an unfair labor practice under Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the National Labor Relations Act if it was consistent with past practices. The court ruled in favor of Raytheon Company, stating that such changes did not constitute an unfair labor practice as long as they were made within a well-established pattern or tradition and didn't deviate from previous decisions significantly enough to be considered novel or unforeseen by employees. This decision clarified that employers could make certain changes without negotiating with unions first, provided these alterations fell within established patterns.

In the dissenting opinion for the National Labor Relations Board v. Raytheon Co., it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold an employer's right to unilaterally change employment terms without bargaining with a union, as long as they had done so in the past, undermined labor law principles and weakened unions' ability to negotiate on behalf of workers. The dissent emphasized that this interpretation allowed employers too much leeway in making significant changes without consulting unions or employees, which could lead to abuses of power and exploitation of workers. They contended that such unilateral actions by employers should be considered unfair labor practices under federal law because they undermine collective bargaining agreements and disrupt balance between management and labor relations.