Teamsters Accuse Rodney Strong of Intimidating Workers in Union Drive

Teamsters Union Local 665 is attempting to unionize workers at Rodney Strong Vineyards, which has rejected the union's call for a "card check" rather than a National Labor Relations Board-supervised secret-ballot election. Rodney Strong has refused the card-check idea, saying any unionization should go through the NLRB secret-ballot election process.

So the union has filed two unfair labor relations charges with the National Labor Relations Board. The union alleges a consultant hired by Rodney Strong used rumors of nearby Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents to stoke fears of discipline or dismissal to intimidate workers. The winery called the allegations "categorically false." The union also accused the company of violating workers' rights through changes to employment terms, discipline, coercive rules, retaliation and dismissal.

The union also launched a campaign urging the public to sign a petition that states: "Rodney Strong Vineyards, I pledge to join Rodney Strong’s wine club to support a company that respects workers’ rights if and only if, Rodney Strong management agrees to a card check neutrality agreement. I want my purchases to help Rodney Strong grow its business while supporting the people who make its success possible."

The Teamsters describe the campaign as the largest Sonoma County organizating attempt in decades and say other wine employers already have union contracts.

The United Farm Workers represents employees at Balletto, Gallo of Sonoma, Charles Krug, and St. Supéry’s Dollarhide Estate Vineyard, according to reports. Another 42 workers at Gallo-owned Turner Road Vintners unionized on May 20 and are represented by United Food & Commercial Workers.