Woodford Reserve tried to undermine unionization effort at its Kentucky distillery, judge rules Yahoo Finance
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WoodfordReserveunderminedunionizationeffortsatitsKentuckydistillerybyawardingpayraises,relaxingitsvacationpolicyandhandingoutbottlesofwhiskeytoworkersbeforeavoteonwhethertounionize,afederaljudgeruled.
Thesweetenerstheprominentbourbonmakerofferedtoworkersweretimedtoinfluencetheoutcomeoftheunionizationvote,AndrewS.Gollin,anadministrativelawjudgewiththeNationalLaborRelationsBoard,wroteinhisdecisionMonday.
The2022unionizationeffortfailed,butGollinsetasidetheelectionresultsandsaidWoodfordReserveanditsparentcompanyshouldrecognizeandbargainwithalocalTeamstersunion.WoodfordReserveispartofspiritsgiantBrown-FormanCorp.,basedinLouisville,Kentucky.
“Overall,thetimingandcircumstancessurroundingtheseactionsaremorethansufficienttoinferunlawfulmotivation,”Gollinwroteinhisdecision.
Thecompanysaidittookeachoftheactionsinquestionforlegitimatebusinessreasonsthatwereunrelatedtotheunioncampaign.Butt
