WVa Tudor's Biscuit World faces labor complaint from feds

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A well-known West Virginia restaurant chain is facing a complaint from the National Labor Relations Board after an investigation found evidence the company unlawfully disciplined and threatened employees who tried to form a union.

Tudor's Biscuit World managers are accused of violating federal labor laws when they suspended two employees leading the unionization effort at the store's franchise location in Elkview, West Virginia, according to a complaint signed by National Labor Relations Board Regional Director Matthew Denholm. Denholm's office investigates unfair labor practice charges for the federal government in parts of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.

The complaint also alleges that Elkview Tudor's managers repeatedly told employees involved in the union effort they could lose their jobs or see their pay docked if they formed a union. One supervisor is accused of saying anti-union employees could give the pro-union employees “as much hell” as they wanted.

Tudor's Biscuit World did not return a request from The Associated Press seeking comment. In a response to the complaint filed last week, an attorney for Tudor's denied all allegations of unfair labor practices.

The complaint against Tudor's franchise in Elkview, a town of fewer than 2,000 people, echoes a larger national movement of organizing among retail and food service workers. Federal labor officials filed a sweeping complaint Friday accusing Starbucks of unfair labor practices at its stores in Buffalo, New York, including retaliation against pro-union employees.

Denholm told the AP on Monday that an investigation of the charges at his regional office found “probable cause” to believe Tudor’s violated federal law. The case will now go to trial before an administrative law judge in Charleston on June...