Woodford Reserve, a prominent bourbon maker based in Kentucky, has been found to have undermined unionization efforts at its distillery by offering pay raises, relaxing vacation policies, and distributing bottles of whiskey to workers before a unionization vote. A federal judge ruled that these actions were timed to influence the outcome of the unionization vote, leading to unfair labor practices in violation of the National Labor Relations Act.
The 2022 unionization effort at Woodford Reserve failed, but the judge set aside the election results and ordered the company to recognize and bargain with a local Teamsters union. Woodford Reserve, which is part of Brown-Forman Corp., based in Louisville, Kentucky, is currently reviewing the ruling and considering its next steps.
