Kroger Subsidiary Erred by Halting Union Dues, NLRB Judge Says

A Kroger Co. subsidiary violated federal labor law by unilaterally ending the collection of union dues for workers in the Little Rock, Ark., area after their collective bargaining agreements expired, a National Labor Relations Board judge ruled.

An administrative law judge Thursday rejected Kroger Delta Division’s defense that its actions were lawful under a Trump-era decision that was in effect when it stopped deducting dues. The company made the move amid legal uncertainty, as a federal appeals court had remanded that 2019 ruling back to the NLRB, the judge said.

“Therefore, it cannot claim that it was unaware of any ...