The Brewer’s Union of Georgia is accusing Athens brewery Creature Comforts of retaliating against outspoken union members.
In the official complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board, the union says two employees were suspended from their positions in the last month after the company accused them of making threatening statements. They were then told they couldn’t talk to other employees about the investigation into what happened.
A spokesperson for the Brewer’s union, Katie Britton, says this amounts to union busting.
“Instead of doing what I think it was meant to do, which is be a scare tactic used against union members, instead has been a rallying cry, a big solidarity moment,” says Britton.
Creature Comforts CEO Chris Herron says that this is not union busting but an appropriate response to ensure employee safety. Herron also says that he thinks the unfair labor practices complaint or ULP will be dismissed.
“We’re going to continue to not allow concerns of whether the union is going to file a ULP or not govern how we operate and make decisions regarding the safety of our employees or our guests or any manner of how we run the business,” he said.
It’s unclear when the National Labor Relations Board will make a decision on the complaint.
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This article appears on Now Habersham through a news partnership with GPB News
