Company That Faked Shutdown to Hurt Union Broke Law, Judge Says

An Illinois-based fire protection company broke federal labor law numerous times in response to an employee union drive, culminating in laying off a majority of the bargaining unit while falsely claiming the company would close down entirely, a National Labor Relations Board judge ruled.

Atlantic American Fire Protection Company Inc. committed a “panoply” of legal violations in the run-up and immediately following its workers voting to unionize with the Sprinkler Fitters Local 281, Administrative Law Judge Michael Silverstein said in his ruling Thursday.

The 51-page decision details how the company’s management survei’led and interrogated the employees after they began ...