If I were this company's HR director, I'd be taking a pretty close look at this union rep. I just reviewed the poster's hx and am having a hard time believing that this guy is for real.
in defense of the union rep;
while many see his actions as improper, one has to remember that a union rep is required by law to support the members of the union to the best of their ability. While it appears this guy is a bit over zealous in his claims, if you would walk in his shoes for a mile, you would be a mile away from him and not able to hear him talk...
oh, let me back up.
a union rep will often appear as this simply to avoid to appear as caving in every time the employer makes a claim or alters a rule. While there is a point of over kill, a weak or no defense action puts the union in a position of over all weakness.
As much as I would like to see there be no need for unions, I have seen too many situations where a union was necessary just to keep what everybody accepts as basic standards. I have known people that were fired for the most ridiculous acts, often times illegally. A union helps prevent such poor treatment. I have known situations where people that were discouraged from seeking treatment for a serious injury, even to the point of threatening job loss. (read about Walmart for that one).
If the union requires the employer to prove they are acting properly, it tends to prevent the employer from acting improperly.
there is no "can't we all get along" in the business world. If you give them (either side) an inch, they will take a mile.