Well-Known California Winery Accused of Using Intimidation to Discourage Employees From Unionizing

Rodney Strong Vineyards is facing three unfair labor practice charges filed by Teamsters Local 665, including allegations that the Healdsburg, California, winery used intimidation tactics to discourage employees from unionizing.

Two complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board accuse the winery and a labor relations consultant it hired of using rumors about nearby Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to frighten workers into believing they could face discipline or termination for supporting a union. The NLRB is evaluating the allegations.

The winery has denied the accusations, calling them categorically false.

Workers in the winery’s cellar, barrel, bottling, warehouse, maintenance and laboratory departments are seeking higher wages, better health care and greater job security. The organizing campaign follows disputes over employee terminations, lost bonuses and additional work without corresponding pay increases, Patch reported Monday.

The Teamsters filed complaints on Sept. 3 and Sept. 23, alleging violations involving changes to employment terms, discipline, coercive workplace rules, retaliation and dismissals.

The dispute also centers on how workers would vote on union representation. Teamsters Local 665 wants Rodney Strong to agree to a card check neutrality process, in which a neutral third party verifies union support through signed authorization cards. The winery favors a secret-ballot election supervised by the NLRB.

According to the union, more than 60 workers and supporters delivered a petition bearing signatures from a majority of employees on May 29. Dozens of workers and more than 150 supporters later rallied outside the winery on June 20. Employees have also held pickets and asked customers to support their campaign.

The union has launched a public campaign urging consumers not to join Rodney Strong’s wine club until management agrees to a card check neutrality agreement. Organizers have raised concerns that an NLRB election could be influenced by the Trump administration.

Rodney Strong has argued that card check neutrality would limit management’s ability to share information with employees and provide less privacy than a secret-ballot election. In an August statement, senior director of marketing communications Christopher O’Gorman said the winery supports an independent election overseen by the NLRB.

O’Gorman also disputed claims that the union had formally sought recognition or requested an election.

“There still has been no demand for union representation, and the union has not filed a petition for an election, although it may initiate that process at any time,” O’Gorman said in an email. “Should an election take place,” he added, “we will respect the process and comply fully with all applicable laws protecting employees’ rights.”

The winery has warned that a consumer boycott could harm employees.

Teamsters Local 665 President Mike Yates described the effort as the largest wine industry organizing campaign in Sonoma County in decades. Other California wine businesses have unionized, including Balletto, Gallo of Sonoma, Charles Krug and St. Supéry’s Dollarhide Estate Vineyard, whose employees are represented by the United Farm Workers.