Colorado food nonprofit pays $450k to workers fired for unionizing

Colorado-based nonprofit Big Green agreed to pay 10 workers $449,999 in backpay, benefits and wages, after they were fired three years ago after trying to unionize, according to a news release on Tuesday by the National Labor Relations Board.

Kimbal Musk, brother of Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, is co-founder and executive chairman of the nonprofit based in Broomfield.

The settlement resolves a complaint filed three years ago by the Denver Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America, Local 37074, AFL-CIO, where Big Green reorganized its operations and laid off all 10 of its program coordinators and program managers. The guild also represents employees at The Denver Post.

According to case documents, actions taken by Big Green included threats of retaliation, interrogation, enforcement of overly broad or unlawful policies, and disciplines in retaliation for employees’ protected activity for raising concerns about racism in the nonprofit’s operations.

The union and Big Green didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Denver Post.

In conjunction with the settlement payment, Big Green must also post, email, mail and read aloud a notice to employees and require all current managers and supervisors to attend a NLRB training on employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

“Workers have a right to take collective action free from employer retaliation. The work by Region 27 staff to obtain this settlement exemplifies their diligence and dedication to employees’ rights,” said Matthew S. Lomax, Denver regional director for the labor board, in the news release.

“I’m extremely proud of their efforts here as this result is a critical part of restoring the ability of Big Green’s employees to exercise their rights.”