NLRB judge rules two feature films violated federal labor code by firing executives who tried to unionize

A National Labor Relations Board administrative justice judge ruled that two 2021 Hallmark film productions violated federal labor laws when nine of the executives were questioned about their union activities, threatened with job loss and then fired for trying to close the projects under one Selling Teamsters Local 399 contract. .

The case follows allegations of unfair labor practices filed by Local 399 against 3484 Inc. and 3486 Inc. was brought, the companies that Christmas in Madison And Love on the Pecan Farm.

After a three-day hearing, the NLRB Administrative Judge Gerald Etchingham ruled that the employers’ representatives violated several sections of the National Labor Relations Act by trying to prevent their unions and then charged them with striking and protesting production that fired is.

In his ruling, the judge had very harsh words for David Wulf, the owner of 3484 Inc. and 3486 Inc. was not a credible witness and could not be relied upon for most of his testimony.”

Wulf, the judge wrote, also “lied” about whether his transportation coordinator was responsible for hiring and disciplinary action, and that he “lied” when he accused Lindsay Dougherty, then Local 399’s business representative and now its executive officer is. to send Wulf “threatening and harassing emails telling him he was going to have a bad day, when in reality Daugherty only told Wulf that ‘it sounds like you had a really rough day yesterday.'”

Read the full judgment of the court here.

Joshua Staheli, vice president of Teamsters Local 399, commented on the ruling: “This is not the first time that Hallmark films have romantic, fairy-tale storylines, while the team’s behind-the-scenes intrigue is based on horror. When the drivers went on strike, many of the crew members came out and showed their support in the hope that they could get health benefits from David Wulf if the Teamsters got a contract. It takes a lot of courage for an employee to stand up and fight back within their legal rights in the workplace. I’m proud of these drivers because they gave Hallmark and David Wulf a much better story.”

In his ruling, the judge ordered that the production companies that went bankrupt after the films were completed, “stop conducting employee surveys about which employees support the union; Interrogate employees and give employees the impression that their union activities are being monitored; employees threaten that (Love on the Pecan Farm) will close shop and relocate to Canada or elsewhere if its employees choose to be represented by the union or continue their union activities.”

However, Staheli of Local 399 said, “Unfortunately, both productions have ended. While this is a victory for working people’s legality and the right to organize, justice in this case will never be fully served if workers are never compensated for what they are owed. However, I see this victory more as a warning to bad employers who undermine the legal rights of workers seeking union representation. Wulf and all bad employers should remember that the law is not on their side when it comes to harassment and threats against unionized workers.”