# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No . 1 8 -2 2 56

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St . Pau l Park Refi n i n g Co ., LLC, d o i n g b us i n es s as W es t ern Refi n i n g

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pet i t i o n er

v

.

Nat i o n al Lab o r Rel at i o n s Bo ard

l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll Res

po n den t

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No . 1 8 -2 5 20

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St . Pau l Park Refi n i n g Co ., LLC, d o i n g b us i n es s as W es t ern Refi n i n g

l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll Res

po n den t

v

.

Nat i o n al Lab o r Rel at i o n s Bo ard

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l Pet i t i o n er

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Nat i o n al Lab o r Rel at i o n s Bo ard

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Su b m i t ted : M arch 1 3 , 2 0 1 9

Fi l ed : J u l y

8 , 2 01 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _Befo re SHEPHERD, ARNOLD, an d ERICKSON, Ci rcu i t J u dg es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

SHEPHERD, Ci rcu i t J u dg e.

St

. Pau l Park Refi n i ng Co m p an y ( S P P R C ) pe titio n s fo r rev i ew an d t he Nat i o n al

Lab or Rel at i on s Bo ard ap p l i es fo r en fo rcem en t o f t h e Bo ard ’ s o rd e r d et erm i n i n g

SPPRC u n l awfu l l y s u sp en d ed an em p l o y ee fo r en g ag i n g i n p ro t e c t e d c o n cert ed

act i vi t y i n v io lat i o n o f t h e Nat i o n al Lab o r R e l a t i o n s Act

, 2 9 U .S.C. § 1 5 1 et s eq

. Hav in g ju ri s d i ct io n p u rs u an t to 2 9 U.S.C. § 1 6 0 (e) an d (f), we d en y SPPRC’ s p et i t i o n

an d en fo rce t h e o rd er.

I.

SPPRC o p erat es an o il refi n ery wi t h 4 5 0 em p l o y ees in St

. Pau l Park

, M i n n es o t a. Th e refi n ery m ai n t ai n s co ns t an t o p erat io n s , p r o c e s s i n g cru d e o i l i n to

p ro d uct s l i k e g as o l in e. T h e In t ern at i o n al Bro t h erh o o d o f Team s t ers , L o cal No

. 1 2 0
(t he Un i o n ) rep res en t s s o m e of t h e refi n ery em p l o y ees , i n cl u d in g v acan cy rel i ef

o p erat o r Ri ch ard To po r, wh o h ad s erv ed as a U n i o n s t e w a r d f o r s ev eral y ears

. To p or’ s s u p erv i s o rs at t h e refi n ery were Gary Reg en s ch ei d an d Dal e Cas wel l

.

D u e t o th e h azard s o f refi n ery wo rk

, b ot h SPPRC’ s co l l ect i v e-b arg ai n i n g

ag reem en t an d i t s em

p l o y ee h a n d b o o k em

p h as i ze t h at em

pl o y ees m

u s t n o t i fy

s u p erv i s o rs i f t h ey b el iev e wo rk co nd i t i o n s are u n s afe an d as s i s t i n r e m e dy i n g t h e

d an gero u s c o n d i t i on s. SPPRC em p l o y ees fo l l ow wri t t en p ro ced u res t o p erfo rm

v ari o u s t as k s , an d an y ch an g e i n a p ro ced u re m u s t b e do cu m en t ed u s i n g a

s t ep -ch an g e fo rm

. SPPRC al s o m ai n t ai n s a “ s afet y s to p ” p o l i cy gi v i n g al l em p l o y ees

t h e au t ho ri t y t o s t o p a jo b du e t o s afet y co n cern s an d d i s cu s s an y a p p r o p ri at e

m i t i g at i on m eas u res w i t h s u p erv i s o rs

. SPPRC’ s em p l o y m en t d o cu m en t s s t at e t h at

-2

-wo rk ers m ay rai se s afet y co n cern s w i t ho u t fear o f ret al i at i o n an d s p eci fi cal l y m en t i o n

n ew o r n o n s t an d ard p ro ced ures as s i t u at i o n s t hat m ig h t warran t a s afet y s t o p

.

On No v em

ber 4

, 2 01 6

, Cas wel l a s s ig ned M i ch ael Ren n ert

, o n e of To p o r’ s

co wo rk ers , t h e t as k o f res t art i n g a m ach i n e k n o w n as t he Pen ex

. D o i n g s o req u i red

i n ject i n g h y dro ch lo ri c aci d fro m p r e s s u ri zed cy l i n d ers i n t o t h e Pen ex t o cl ear o ut

wat er an d ru s t

. On l y a few week s p ri o r, SPPRC i m p l em en t ed a n ew t ech n i q u e fo r

i n ject i n g t h e aci d t h at i n v o l v ed h eat i n g t h e cy l i n d ers wi th s team

. Ho wev er, n o o n e

h ad u pd at ed t h e w ri t t en p ro ced ure t o refl ect t h e n ew m et ho d

. Nev er hav i n g res t art ed

t h e P e n e x b efo re, Ren n ert as k ed To p o r ab o u t t h e s afet y o f th e p ro ced u re. To p o r

q u es ti o n ed t h e s afet y

o f t h e n ew s t eam -h eat i n g m et ho d

.

Ren n ert an d To p or d i scu s s ed t h ei r co n cern s wi t h Eri c Ro we, a u n it -p ro ces s

en g in eer, an d req u es t ed a wri t t en p ro ced u re. Ro we p rep ared a s t ep -ch an g e fo rm fo r

t h e new Pen ex cl ean i ng p ro ced u re, wh i ch s u perv i s o rs , i n cl ud i n g o p erat i on s

s u p eri n t en d en t Bri an a J u n g , s i g n ed

. Th e fo rm i n cl u d ed an i n st ru ct io n s t at i n g t h at

o t h er h y d ro ch l o ri c aci d cy l i n d ers s h o ul d n ot b e i n t he s am e area as t h e on e t h at wi l l

b e h eat ed

.

In t h e aft ern o o n , Reg en s ch ei d an d J u n g reas s i g n ed th e t as k t o To po r, g i v i n g

h i m t h e s t ep -ch an ge fo rm

. To p or no t ed t h at

, co n t rary t o t h e fo rm ’ s i n s t ru ct i o n s , o t h er

cy l i nd ers were near t h e cy l i n der t o b e h eat ed

. Reg en s ch ei d in s t ru ct ed To p o r to

m i t i gat e t h e h azard b y p laci n g i n s u l at i on b l an k et s o v er t h e cy l i n d ers t h at were n o t in

u s e, b u t T o p o r i n si s t ed t h e p ro ced u re cal l ed fo r rem ov i n g th e ad d i t i o nal cy l i n d ers

fro m t h e area, feari n g Reg en s ch ei d ’ s s u g g es t i o n was u n s a f e a n d ri s k ed ex p l o s i o n.

To p or wan ted t o i ni t i at e a s afet y st o p, b u t Reg en s ch ei d ag ai n s ai d t o u s e in s u l at i o n.

In res p o n s e, To p o r rep eat ed h i s s afet y s t o p req u es t

, as k in g t hat t he s afet y d ep art m en t

rev i ew Reg en s ch ei d ’ s s u g g es t i o n . To p or b eg an fi l l i n g o u t a s afet y -s t o p fo rm

.

-3

-Tel l i n g T o p o r t o fi l l t h e fo rm o u t l at er, Reg en s ch ei d an d J un g m et w i t h h i m at

t h e Pen ex , wh ere To po r ag ai n rep eat ed h i s s afet y co n cern s

. To po r ex p l ai n ed t h at i f

t h e res t art p ro ces s h ad ch an g ed t o al l o w i n s u l at i o n b l an k et s, t h e s t ep -ch an g e fo rm

n eed ed t o b e u p dat ed acco rd i n g l y

. He ad d ed t hat he fel t h e was b ei ng p res s u red to

p erfo rm t h e tas k d es p i t e hi s safet y co n cern s

. To p o r an d Reg en s ch ei d beg an s p eak i n g

i n l o u d v o i ces

. Ev en t u al l y , Reg en sch ei d an d Ju n g s en t To p o r h o m e. As T o p o r was

l eav i ng , Reg en s c h e i d as k ed h im t o ret u rn t h e s t ep -ch an g e fo rm , b u t To p o r d i d n ot

h e a r h i m a n d d i d no t co m pl y

. Ev en t u al l y , Reg en s ch ei d g av e T o p o r a ri d e t o a

d i fferen t b u i l d i n g t o ch an g e o u t o f h i s wo rk cl o th es an d l eav e; t h ey d i d n o t s p eak

.

SPPRC’ s h u m an res o u rce em p l o y ees t o l d Ju n g an d Reg en s ch ei d t o do cu m en t

t h e ev en t s o f t h e d ay fo r an in v es t i g at i o n

. Reg en s ch ei d wro t e t h at T o p o r h ad refu s ed

t o d o as s i g ned wo rk an d b eh av ed i ns u b o rd i n at el y

. J u n g wro t e t h at To po r h ad refu s ed

t o d is cu ss m i t i gat i o n , wh i ch sh e al s o v i ewed as i n s u b o rd i n at i o n

. Sh e nam ed s ev eral

wi t n es s es t o t h e en co u n ter, i n cl u d i n g Ren n ert

. Th ree d ay s lat er, J un g m o d i fi ed h er

s t at em en t

, ad d i ng t h at To po r was l o u d a n d h ad p o i n t ed hi s fi n g er at Reg en s ch ei d.

Du ri n g it s i n ves t i g a t i o n , SPPRC i n t erv i ewed o n ly s o m e o f t h e wi t n es s es J u n g h ad

n am ed

, rel y i n g al m o s t en t irel y o n s u p erv i s o rs ’ acco u n t s wh il e d ecl i n i ng t o in t erv i ew

fel l o w u n i t em

p l o y ees l i ke Ren n ert

. Du ri n g h i s in t erv i ew, To p o r d en ied rai s i n g h i s

v o i ce o r p o i n t i n g h i s fi n g er at Reg en s ch ei d

.

Ev e n t u a l l y , SPPRC i s s u ed To p o r a 1 0 -d ay u n p ai d s u s pen s i on an d a fi n al

wri t ten warn i n g , ci t i n g i n ap p ro p ri at e b eh av i or an d in s u bo rd i nat i on

. A few m o n t h s

l at er, h e was d en i ed h i s q u art erl y b o n u s.

To p o r i n i t i at ed t wo u n fai r l ab o r p ract i ce cas es b efo re t h e Bo ard ag ai n s t
SPPRC, b o t h al leg i n g SPPRC h ad ret al i at ed ag ai n s t h i m b y d i sci p l i n i ng h i m an d

d en y i n g h i s b o n u s t o di s co u rag e h i s u n i o n act iv i t i es

. Th e Bo ard ’ s Offi ce o f t h e

Gen eral Co u n s el p u rs ued h i s cl ai m s , b ri ng i n g a co n s o l i dat ed co m p l ai n t befo re an

ad m i n is t rat i v e l aw ju dg e. Aft er a h eari ng , t h e ALJ h el d i n To p o r’ s fav o r. In d o i n g

-4

-s o , h e rel i ed h eav i l y o n wi t n es s cred i b i l it y , ex p l ai ni n g t hat he fo u n d To p o r’ s

co n si s t en t an d co n fi d en t tes ti m o n y b e l i e v ab l e b u t n o t iced t h at Reg en s ch ei d ’ s

t es t i m o ny was h es i t an t an d i n co n s i s t en t w i t h J un g ’ s a c c o u n t an d t h at Reg en s ch ei d

c o u l d n o t recal l ev ery t h i n g t h at o ccu rred

. Bas ed on a co n vers at i on i n wh i c h

Reg en s ch ei d t o l d Ren n ert t o ex p ect rep ri sal fro m SPPRC d u e t o o n g o i n g u n i o n

n eg ot i at i on s , t h e ALJ o rd ered SPPRC t o ceas e t h reat en i n g em p lo y ees fo r t h ei r u n i o n

act i vi t y

. As t o t h e i n ci d en t wi t h To p or, i t ord ered SPPRC t o res t o r e a n y l o s s o f

earn i n g s o r b en efi t s an d rem o ve an y ev i d en ce o f h i s d is ci p l i n e fro m h i s fi l e. Th e

Bo ard ad o p t ed t h e ALJ ’ s deci s i o n i n fu l l

. It d en i ed a m o ti o n fro m SPPRC t o reo p en

t h e reco rd t o ad m it an arb i t rat io n award

, fi n d i n g SPPRC h ad no t d em o n s t rat ed t h at

t h e ev id en ce was n ewl y di s co v ered or p rev i o u sl y u n av ai l a b le as req u i red b y t h e

Bo ard ’ s ru l es an d reg u l at io ns . SPPRC ap p eal s

.

II.

W e “ affo rd [] g reat d eferen ce t o t h e Bo ard ’ s affi rm at io n o f t h e A LJ ’ s fi n d i n g s ,”

en fo rci n g “ t h e Bo ard ’ s o rd er i f t h e Bo ard has co rrect l y ap p l i ed t he l aw an d i ts fact u al

fi nd i ng s are s u p p o rt ed b y s u bs t an t i al ev i d en ce o n t h e reco rd as a wh o l e, ev en i f we

m i g h t h av e reach ed a d i fferen t d eci s i o n h ad t h e m at t er b een b efo re u s d e n o v o.”

To wn & Co u nt ry El ec., In c. v

. N LRB, 1 06 F.3 d 8 1 6, 8 19 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 7 ).

“ Su b s t an t i al ev id en ce i s s u ch ev i d en ce t h at a reas on ab le m i n d wo u l d fi n d ad eq u at e

t o s u p p ort t h e Bo ard ’ s co n cl u s i o n

. ” NLRB v

. R o c k l i n e In d us ., In c., 4 1 2 F.3 d 9 6 2,

9 6 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 5 ). Th o u gh “ an A L J ’s cred i b il i t y det erm i n at io n s are co n s i d ered

wi t h t h e res t o f t h e NLRB’ s fact u al fi n di n g s u n d er t h e g en eral s u b s t an t i al ev i d en ce

t es t ,” To w n & Co u n try

, 1 0 6 F.3 d at 8 1 9, we rev ers e cre d i b i l i t y fi n d i n g s “ o n l y in

ex t rao rd i n ary ci rcu m s t an ces .” Ch em vet Lab s ., In c. v. NLRB, 49 7 F.2 d 4 4 5

, 4 4 9 (8 th

Ci r. 1 9 74 ). Th e Bo ard ’ s reas o n ab l e co n s t ru ct i o n o f t h e s co p e o f p ro t ect ed co n cert ed

a c t i v i t y un d er t he NLRA “ i s en t i tl ed t o co ns i d erab le d eferen ce.” NLRB v

. Ci t y

Di s p os al Sy s ., In c., 4 6 5 U.S. 8 2 2 , 8 2 9 (1 98 4 ).

-5

-“ W h i l e n o rm al l y an em pl o y er i s free to d i sch arg e an at wi l l em p lo y ee fo r an y

o r n o reas o n , th e Nat i o n a l L a b o r R el at i o n s Act

, 2 9 U.S.C. § 1 5 1 et s eq ., p ro v i d es

p ro t ect i o n s t o wo rk ers w h o s eek t o fo rm a un i o n o r o t h erwi s e en g ag e i n co n cert ed

l ab o r act i v i t i es .” NLRB v

. RELCO Lo co m o t iv es , In c., 7 3 4 F.3 d 7 6 4, 7 8 0 (8 t h Ci r.

2 0 1 3 ) (ci t i n g 2 9 U.S.C. § 15 8 (a)). Pro t ect ed co n cert ed act iv i t y “ need n o t t ak e p l ace

i n a u n i o n s et t i ng [; ] ” rat h er, “ [ i ]t i s s u ffi ci en t t h at t he em p lo y ee i n ten d s o r

co n tem p l at es , as an en d res u l t

, g ro u p act i vi t y wh ich w i l l al s o ben efi t s om e o t h er

em pl o y ees .” Ko ch Su p p l i es , In c. v

. NLRB, 6 4 6 F.2 d 1 2 5 7

, 12 5 9 (8 t h Ci r. 19 8 1 ) (p er

cu ri am ). “ [W ] h en an em p l o y er art i cu l at es a faci al l y l e g i t i m a t e reas o n ” fo r

t erm i n at i n g o r d i s c i p l i n i n g an em p l o y ee “ b u t t h at m o t i v e i s d is p u ted ,” we an al y ze

“ wh et h er t h e em

pl o y ee’ s t erm i n at i o n [o r d is ci pl i n e] was m o t i v at ed b y th e p ro t ect ed

act i vi t y ” u s i n g t h e b u rd en -s h i ft i n g an al y s is art icu l at ed in W ri g h t L in e, 2 5 1 N.L.R.B.

1 0 8 3 (Au g

. 2 7

, 1 9 8 0), en fo rced 6 62 F.2 d 8 99 (1 s t Ci r. 1 98 1 ). RELCO, 7 3 4 F.3 d at

7 8 0

. Un d er Wr i g h t L i n e, th e g en eral co un s el m u s t “ es t ab l i s h t hat t he em p l o y ee’ s

p ro t ect ed act i vi t y was a m o t iv at i n g fact or in h i s or h er ev en t u al ” d i s ci p l i n e by

d em o n s t rat i n g : “ (1 ) t h e em p l o y ee was en g ag ed i n p ro t ect ed act i v it y ; (2 ) t he em p l o y er

k n ew o f t h e em

p l o y ee’ s pro tect ed act iv i ty ; an d (3 ) t h e em p lo y er act ed as i t d i d o n t h e

b as i s of an t i -u n i o n an i m

us .” Id

. (al t erat i on s an d ci t at io n o m it t ed ). Th en t h e b u rd en

s h i ft s t o t h e em

p lo y er t o p ro v e “ i t wo u l d h a v e t ak en t h e s am e act i o n ab s en t t h e

p ro t ect ed act i v i t y

. ” Id . at 7 8 0.

Fi rs t , To p o r m

u s t h av e b een en g ag ed in p ro t ect ed co n cert ed act iv i t y

. Act i o n

d o n e i nd i v id u al l y

m ay b e co n cert ed “ i f i t rep res en t s ei t h e r a co n t i n u at i o n o f earl i er

co n cert ed act i v i t ies or a l o g i cal ou t g ro wt h o f co n cert ed ac t i v i t i e s

. ” Id

. at 7 8 5
(i nt ern al q u o t at i o n m ark s o m i t t ed ). Fu rt h erm o re, t h e NLRA p ro t ect s t h e ri g h t s o f

em pl o y ees t o en g ag e i n w o rk s t o p p ag es “ o v er wh at t he em p l o y ees b el i ev e t o b e

u n s afe o r u n h eal t h y wo rk in g co n d i t i o n s .” N LRB v

. Tam ara Fo o ds

, In c., 6 9 2 F.2 d

1 1 7 1

, 1 1 7 6 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 8 2 ). T h e ALJ cred i t ed To p o r’ s s tat em en t t h at

, fo l l o wi n g

m o rn i n g co n v ers at io ns wi t h Ren n ert wh ere t h ey b o th ex p res s ed co n cern s ab o u t t h e

s afet y o f t h e res t art p ro ced u re, To p o r rep eat ed l y cal l ed fo r a s afet y s t o p

. T h e Bo ard

-6

-h el d th at T o p o r’ s co n t i n u ed refu s al t o w o rk in t h e aft ern o o n was a “ l o g i cal

o u t g ro wt h ” o f hi s m o rn i n g d is cu s s i o n s wi t h Ren n ert ab o ut t he s am e as s i g nm en t an d

s a fet y co n cern s an d t h erefo re w as p ro t ect ed co n cert ed act i v i t y

. See REL C O

, 7 3 4

F.3 d at 78 5 ; s ee al so NLRB v

. T h o r P o wer To o l Co

. , 3 5 1 F.2 d 58 4

, 5 86 (7 t h Ci r.

1 9 6 5 ) (n o t i ng em

p l oy ee beh av i o r can n o t b e co n s i d ered i n a v acu u m wi t h o ut

co n si d erat io n o f wh at l ed up t o i t ). Es p eci al ly g i v en th e “ co ns i d erab l e d eferen ce” we

g i v e to t he Bo ard to d et erm i n e t he s co p e o f p ro t ect ed act i v it y , Ci t y Di s p o s al Sy s ., 4 6 5

U.S. at 8 29

, we ag ree t h at To p o r’ s aft ern o o n b eh av io r was a “ l o g i cal o u t g ro wt h ” o f

h i s co n v ers at i o n wi t h Ren n ert an d fi n d s u b s t an ti al ev i d en ce i n th e reco rd t h at To p o r

was en g ag ed i n p ro t ect ed act i vi t y

.

Becau s e SPPRC co n ced es t h at i t k n ew o f To po r’ s co nd u ct

, t h e g en eral co u n s el

n ex t n eed ed t o s h o w t h at an t i -u n i o n an i m u s m o t i v at ed SPPRC’ s act i o n

. Th i s req u i red

d em o n s t rat i n g t h at To po r’ s i n s i s t en ce o n a s afet y s to p was a “ m ot i v at i n g fact o r” in

SPPRC’ s d eci s i o n t o d i s ci p l i n e h i m

. S e e C o n cep t s & D es i g n s, In c. v. NLRB, 1 0 1

F.3 d 1 2 4 3

, 1 2 4 4 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 96 ). “ M o ti v at i o n i s a q u es t i o n of fact t h at m ay b e

i n ferred fro m b o t h d i rect an d ci rcu m s t an ti al ev i den ce.” Id

. “ Ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce

wh i ch s u p p o rt s a d et erm i n at i o n o f an i m u s an d u nl awfu l m o t i v a t i o n i n cl u d es

‘ su s pi ci ou s t i m i n g , f

a l s e reas o n s g i v en i n d efen s e, fai lu re [t o ] ad eq u at el y

. . . i n v es t i g at e al l eg ed m i s co nd u ct

, d ep art ures fro m pas t pract ice, t o l eran ce o f b eh av i o r

fo r wh i ch t h e em

pl o y ee was al l eg ed l y fi red

, an d di s p arat e t reat m en t o f th e d i s ch arg ed

em pl o y ees .’ ” RELCO, 7 3 4 F.3 d at 7 8 7 (q u o t i n g M ed i c On e, In c., 3 3 1 N.L.R.B. 4 6 4,

4 7 5 (J un e 2 6

, 2 0 0 0 )).

Th ere were m

u lt i p l e i n d i cat i o n s o f d i s c ri m i n at o ry m ot i v e h ere. SPPRC

ab ru p t l y i n d i c a t ed it s h os t i li ty t o To p o r’ s b eh av i o r b y s en d i n g hi m h o m e aft er h i s

rep eat ed refu s al t o wo rk

. Cred i t i n g t h e ALJ ’ s fi n d i ng t h at To p o r d i d n o t en g ag e i n

i n s u b ord in at e b eh av i o r, SPPRC’ s u s e o f t h at reas o n i n g was p ret ex t u al

. Th i s

co n cl u s i o n i s s u p p o rt ed by SPPRC’ s i n tern al i n v es t i g at i o n, wh i ch rel i ed al m o s t

en t i rel y o n s u p erv i s ors ’ acco u n t s o f t h e i n t eract i o n

. Fu rt h erm o re, SPPRC’ s as s ert ed

-7

-reas on s fo r d i s ci p li n i n g To p or d i d n o t rem ai n co n s i s t en t

. At t i m e s , t h e reas o n fo r

To p or’ s d i s ci p l i ne w as d es cri b ed as h i s refu s al t o wo r k

, t h e n hi s refu s al t o d i s cu ss

m i t i gat io n , an d fi n al l y h is b el l i g eren t b eh av io r. As t o t h e al l eg ed b el l i g eren t

b eh av i o r, J u n g d i d n ot i ncl u d e t h e fi n g erp o i nt i n g al l eg at io n i n h er o ri gi n al acco u nt

o f t h e i n ci d en t

. See Ro ck l i n e, 4 1 2 F.3 d at 9 68 (“ an em p lo y er ch an g i n g t h e ju s t ifi cat i o n s fo r i t s di s ci p l i n ary act i o ns ” i s an i n d i cat i o n of a di s cri m in at o ry m o t i v e).

To g et h er, t h es e fact s p ro v i d e s u b s t an t i al ev i d en ce t h at SPPRC had a di s cri m i n at o ry

m o ti v e.

Th u s , t h e bu rd en s h ift ed t o SPPRC t o p ro v e t h at i t wo ul d h av e t ak en t h e s am e

act i on ab s en t t h e p ro t ect ed act i v i t y

. To do s o, SPPRC m u st h av e dem o ns t rat ed a

reas on ab l e b el ief th at To p o r co m m i t t ed m i s co n d u ct an d t h at i t act ed o n t h at b el i ef in

d i s ci pl i n in g h i m

. See M i d n ig h t Ro se Ho tel & Cas i n o , In c., 3 4 3 N .L.R.B. 1 0 0 3

, 1 0 0 5
(Dec. 1 6

, 2 0 04 ). “ [I] t i s n o t en o u g h t h at an em p l o y er p u t fo rt h a n o n di s cri m i n at o ry ju s t ifi cat i o n fo r d i s ci p l i ne. It m u st b e t h e ju s t ifi cat i on .” Ro ck l i n e, 4 1 2 F.3 d at 9 7 0.

Th e ALJ d i d no t cred i t SPPRC’ s al l eg at i o n t h at T o p o r m i s b eh av ed an d th erefo re d id

n o t cred i t i t s de f

e n s e t h a t i t act ed b as ed o n t hat b el ief. Co n s i d eri n g SPPRC’ s

ev o lv i n g s t ori es an d i n ad eq u at e i n v es t i g at i o n , t h i s cas e d o es n o t i n v o l v e

“ e xtr a or dina

r y c ir c um sta

nc e s” j usti fy i n g th e rev ers al o f t h e ALJ ’ s cred i bi l ity f indings.

Ch em v et Lab s

. , 4 9 7 F.2 d at 4 4 9

. Th erefo re, we ag ree t ha t t h e r e w a s s u b s t an t i al

ev i d en ce t h at SPPRC co m m i t t ed a l ab o r v i o lat i o n

.

III.

SPPRC al s o al l e g e s t h e ALJ an d Bo ard erred b y d en y i n g it s t wo m o t i o n s to

reo p en t h e reco rd

. W e rev i ew s u ch cl ai m s fo r ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. NLRB v

. M i l l er

W as t e M i l l s , 3 1 5 F.3 d 9 5 1

, 9 5 5 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 3 ).

Fi rs t

, SPPRC arg u es t h e Bo ard s h o u l d ha v e r eo p en ed t h e reco rd aft er fi n al

b ri efi n g o n i t s ex cep t i o n s to t he ALJ d eci s io n an d ad m i t ted ev i d en ce o f an arb i t rat i o n

-8

-award fro m a p aral l el pro ceed i n g t h at d en i ed To p or’ s g ri ev an ce b u t was i s s u ed aft er

t h e Bo ard ’ s h eari n g cl os ed

. Un d er 2 9 C.F.R. § 1 02 .4 8 (c)(1 ), t h e Bo ard m ay reo p en

t h e reco rd i n “ ex t rao rd i n ary ci rcu m s t an ces .” Th e ev i d enc e m ust be ne w ly d i s co v ered

,

o n l y av ai l ab le s i n ce t h e cl o s e o f t h e h eari n g , o r b el iev ed b y t h e Bo ard t o h av e b een

t ak en at t h e h eari n g , an d i f cred i t ed

, t h e ev id en ce m u s t req u ire a d i fferen t res u l t

. 2 9

C.F.R. § 1 0 2 .4 8 (c)(1 ). Th e Bo ard req u i res al l s u ch ev id en ce t o b e i n ex i st en ce at t h e

t i m e o f t h e h eari n g , ev en i f i t i s o n l y av ai lab l e l at er, b ecau s e “ an y o t h er ap p ro ach

wo u l d

. . . e n c o u rag [e] em p lo y ers t o d el ay co m

p l i an ce in t h e ho p e t h at n ew an d

fav o rab l e ci rcu m s t an ces d ev el o p .” NLRB v

. Cu t t er Do dg e, In c., 8 2 5 F.2 d 1 3 7 5

, 1 3 8 1
(9 t h Ci r. 19 8 7 ) (ci t i n g NLRB v

. L.B. Fo s t er Co

., 4 1 8 F.2 d 1, 4 -5 (9 t h Ci r. 19 6 9 )); s ee

al s o Sec. W al l s , In c. & I n t ’ l Un i o n, Sec. Po l i ce & Fi re Pro fes s i o n al s o f A m ., 3 6 5

NLRB No

. 9 9 (J u n e 1 5

, 20 1 7 ) (“ ev i d en ce of ev en t s t h at o ccu rred aft er” t h e i n ci d en t

at i s s u e i s nei t h er “ n ewl y d i s co v ered ” n o r “ p rev i o u sl y u n av ai lab l e”). Becau s e t h e

arb i t rat i on award was n o t i s s u ed u n t i l aft er t h e h e ari n g , t h e Bo ard di d n o t ab u s e i t s

d i s cret i o n i n d ecl i n in g t o reo p en t h e reco rd t o ad m i t t he ev i d en ce.

Seco n d

, SPPRC al leg es t h e ALJ an d Bo ard erred b y d en y i n g i t s m o t i o n to

reo p en t he reco rd t o ad m i t co rres p o n d en ce fro m t he M i n n es ot a O SHA. W h en a p art y

fi les ex cep t i o n s t o a n AL J f i n di n g , i t m

u s t d o m o re t h an m erel y s p eci fy t h e i s s u e i t

co n tes t s t o av o i d wai v in g i ts arg u m en t ; each ex cep t i o n m u s t i d en t i fy

t h e p o rt i o n o f

t h e o p i n i o n at i s s u e, p ro v i d e rel ev an t ci t at i o n s t o t h e reco rd

, an d “ co n ci s el y s t at e t h e

g ro u nd s fo r t h e ex cep ti o n .” 2 9 C.F.R. § 10 2 .4 6

. Here, SPPRC fi l e d o n l y “ b are

ex cep t i o n s t o th e ju d g e’ s d i s m i s s a l o f i t s m o t i o n t o reo p en t h e reco rd [.] ” St

. Pau l

Park Ref. Co

., 3 6 6 N .L.R.B. No

. 8 3 (M ay 8

, 2 0 1 8). Th u s , t h e Bo ard co u l d n o t

ad d res s t h e i s s u es , an d we d o n ot h av e ju ri s d ict i on o v er t h e cl ai m s o n ap p eal

. See 2 9

U.S.C. § 1 60 (e) (n o t i n g we can n o t co n s i d er an “ o b j ect i on t h at h as no t b een u rg ed

b efo re t h e Bo ard ”).

Fi n al l y , t h e Bo ard as k s t h a t we g ran t s u m m ary en fo rcem en t as t o i t s fi n d i n g

t h at SPPRC u n l awfu l l y th reat en ed em p l o y ees wi t h ret al i at i on fo r t h ei r u n i o n act i v i t y

.

-9

-Becau s e SPPRC m ad e t h e s am e “ b are ex cep t i o n ” to th i s fi n d i n g as i t d i d t o t he d en i al

o f i t s m o t i o n t o reo p en t h e reco rd

, we s i m i l arl y l ack j u ri s d i ct i o n t o h ear i t s arg u m en t s

. See 2 9 U.S.C. § 1 6 0(e).

Th erefo re, we d en y

SPPRC’ s p et i t i o n an d en fo rce t h e Bo ard ’ s o rd er.

__ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _

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