Daniel Berkley, a partner in Gordon & Rees' Labor, Employment and Hospitality Groups, representing The Hess Collection Winery settled all of the long outstanding unfair labor practice charges filed with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1096. This averted a nearly 2 ½ month long administrative hearing set for May 8, 2007 in Napa. The union, the ALRB and the winery reached a $250,000 settlement resolving 36 multi faceted charges filed by the union, ranging from a demand for reinstatement and back pay to a charge that the winery retaliated against workers for union activity by giving raises to all but a few activist workers. The union's original claim was nearly twice the $250,000 settlement amount. Mr. Berkley will represent Hess Winery in the contract negotiations with the union which may begin in a month and with some future mediations and arbitrations.