Yesterday, all parties received copies of the 86-page January 30 decision of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge that sustained three objections filed by the United Steelworkers (USW). The decision issued by NLRB Administrative Law Judge Eric M. Fine overturned a March 2008 NLRB election at MeadWestvaco’s Covington, Va. paper mill. The USW, which narrowly lost the election to the Covington Paperworkers Union (CPU) by 14 votes, is the certified representative of the 950 production and maintenance employees who voted in the election.  Judge Fine returned the case to the NLRB’s regional director in Winston-Salem, NC to hold a new election. 

Judge Fine found that three different courses of conduct by CPU and its officers were in violation of Federal law, and created a coercive atmosphere that interfered with the holding of a free and fair election ... more