I think you might be a bit presumptuous. Why do you believe they don't have legal power? If you are an at-will employee, you can typically be fired for any reason. Not signing the updated employment agreement is, unfortunately, a valid reason.
In your case, they did not exercise that right. But I've been at places where they did. For something as petty as not signing an agreement which appeared to eliminate some employee benefits that were contractually obligated. Could the fired employees have sued, and won? Perhaps. But it would be an expensive, risky, time-consuming proposition to find out.
In your case, they did not exercise that right. But I've been at places where they did. For something as petty as not signing an agreement which appeared to eliminate some employee benefits that were contractually obligated. Could the fired employees have sued, and won? Perhaps. But it would be an expensive, risky, time-consuming proposition to find out.