Last week, in an 8-1 decision in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Int’l Bhd. of Teamsters Local Union No. 174, the Supreme Court ruled that employers can bring actions against unions for failing to take reasonable precautions to prevent property damage to the employer while employees strike.
Glacier Northwest alleged in a state court tort action that union workers intentionally filled their trucks with wet concrete when they were about to strike, knowing that the concrete would harden and become unusable, and that it would damage the Company’s trucks. Ultimately, following emergency measures by Glacier Northwest, the trucks were saved but the concrete was unusable.
The state court has yet to decide what damages, if any, the union will have to pay Glacier National, but the threat of having to pay damages alone will likely serve as a future deterrent to unions contemplating a strike and labor leaders are concerned about the impact of this decision on unionized employees’ rights going forward.
See the Supreme Court’s full decision here: 21-1449 Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters (06/01/2023)