Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/222/218/478282/
Timestamp: 2018-07-22 08:58:42
Document Index: 397647565

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 8', '§ 158', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 158', '§ 158']

National Labor Relations Board, Petitioner,sheet Metal Workers' International Association of Northern Ohio Local Union No. 33,intervenor, v. General Fabrications Corporation, Respondent, 222 F.3d 218 (6th Cir. 2000) :: Justia
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National Labor Relations Board, Petitioner,sheet Metal Workers' International Association of Northern Ohio Local Union No. 33,intervenor, v. General Fabrications Corporation, Respondent, 222 F.3d 218 (6th Cir. 2000)
US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - 222 F.3d 218 (6th Cir. 2000)
Argued: May 5, 2000Decided and Filed: August 1, 2000
On Application for Enforcement of an Order of the National Labor Relations Board. Nos. 8-CA-29443/29444/29445/29446/29507/29520/29591/29728/29756/29820/31000; 8-RC-15667. [Copyrighted Material Omitted] [Copyrighted Material Omitted] [Copyrighted Material Omitted] [Copyrighted Material Omitted]
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) petitions for enforcement of two orders against General Fabrications Corporation ("Company"). First, the NLRB petitions for enforcement of a bargaining order against General Fabrications, which was issued after a finding that the Company violated §§ 8(a) (1), (3) and (5) of the National Labor Relations Act ( NLRA), 49 Stat. 452, 453, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §§ 158(a) (1), (3) and (5), by dismissing and laying off employees and by statements made by management during and after a union organizing campaign by the Sheet Metal Workers' International Local 33 (Union). Second, the NLRB petitions for enforcement of an order against General Fabrications finding that the Company violated §§ 8(a) (1) and (5) of the NLRA by refusing to bargain with the Union. We ENFORCE both of the Board's orders.
Also on November 4, General Fabrications held a company-wide meeting. At the meeting, which Mikolay taped, Boraski stated that he was receiving threats and that the work orders that he had would not be made in Sandusky because he would not succumb to these threats. Robert Garba, the company's general manager, spoke after Boraski, stating that whether or not the company shut down dependedon how "reliable" employees were1 . Later that same day, Cloud, an electrician's helper, and Johnson, an electrician, were laid off, allegedly because of a lack of work for these employees.
On May 6, 1998,2 a consolidated complaint was issued that alleged various violations of Section 8(a) (1) of the NLRA,3 violations of Section 8(a) (3) of the NLRA4 for discrimination against two employees and the dismissal of five employees, and violations of Sections 8(a) (3) and 8(a) (4)5 for the suspension and termination of a sixth employee. The complaint also alleged a violation of Section 8(a) (5) of the NLRA6 for the Company's failure to recognizethe Union. The Union requested that the remedy include a bargaining order.
After a hearing, an administrative law judge ("ALJ"), in a detailed decision issued September 17, 1998, found numerous violations of the NLRA, some of which relied on credibility determinations. The ALJ found that (1) the Company violated Sections 8(a) (1) and 8(a) (3) of the NLRA by discharging Jones, permanently laying off Collins and Roberts, laying off Johnson, Cloud, and Fields, and suspending Mikolay; (2) the Company violated Section 8(a) (1) of the NLRA by its actions during the union campaign, such as threatening loss of jobs and plant closure, and harassing employees who supported the union; and (3) the Company violated Sections 8(a) (1) and 8(a) (5) of the NLRA by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union since December 4, 1997. The ALJ found that a bargaining order was an appropriate remedy.
In deciding § 8(a) (3) cases in which the employee was allegedly retaliatedagainst for his union activity, but the employer alleges that it was motivated by legitimate reasons, the NLRB must first establish a prima facie case by putting forth evidence that supports an inference that the employee's protected activities were a motivating factor in the employer's decision. See Wright Line, 251 N.L.R.B. 1083 (1980); see also NLRB v. Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. 393, 394-95 (1983) (adopting the Wright Line test). In an alleged § 8(a) (3) violation, the general counsel must put forward evidence that the employee was engaged in protected activity; that the employer knew of the employee's protected activity; and that "an adverse employment action resulted in whole or in part from anti-union animus, or 'that the employee's protected conduct was a motivating factor in the adverse action.'" ITT Automotive v. NLRB, 188 F.3d 375, 388 (6th Cir. 1999) (quoting Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. at 401). Anti-union sentiment can be shown through direct or indirect evidence. See id. at 389.
W.F. Bolin Co. v. NLRB, 70 F.3d 863, 871 (6th Cir. 1995) (citing Turnbull Cone Baking Co. v. NLRB, 778 F.2d 292, 297 (6th Cir. 1985)). The burden then shifts to the Company to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have taken the same action against the employee in the absence of protected activity. See NLRB v. General Sec. Servs. Corp., 162 F.3d 437, 442 (6th Cir. 1998) (citing Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. at 394-95).
Given the evidence of anti-union animus, these employees' qualifications, and the Company's inability to support its assertion that the layoffs resulted from unprofitable panel production, see W.L. Bolin Co., 70 F.3d at 874, we find that substantial evidence exists to uphold the Board's determination that the Company fired Collins and Roberts because of anti-union animus, in violation of Section 8(a) (3), and that the Company failed to make its affirmative defense that it would have taken the same action absent protected activity.
The deference given to the ALJ's credibility findings and other factual findings leads us to find that substantial evidence exists to support the Board's determination that these three were laid off in violation of Sections 8(a) (1) and 8(a) (3).
V. Section 8(a) (1) violations.
J.A. at 113. The ALJ found that Boraski's assertion that he was discussing a physical, as opposed to an economic "threat" of unionization, during the meeting was not credible, and rejected the Company's assertion that it did not know of the union activity at the time. The Board upheld the ALJ's determination that the statement constituted a threat of plant reduction or closure in violation of Section 8(a) (1).
An employer's threat to close down if the company unionizes is a "hallmark" violation of the NLRA. Indiana Cal-Pro, Inc. v. NLRB, 863 F.2d 1292, 1301 (6th Cir. 1988). Boraski's statement was not a factual prediction about the likely future; i.e., a statement that would not violate Section 8(a) (1). See DTR Indus., Inc. v. NLRB, 39 F.3d 106 (6th Cir. 1994). His statements at the meeting that no jobs would be done in Sandusky unless the "threats" stopped, and his reference to being able to close the building do not indicate actions taken for economic necessity or economic factors beyond his control. See NLRB v. Gissel Packing Co., 395 U.S. 575, 618 (1969). The Board's determination that the comments violated § 8(a) (1) of the NLRA is supported by substantial evidence.
As noted above, " [w]hen there is a conflict in the testimony, 'it is the Board's function to resolve questions of fact and credibility,' and thus this court ordinarily will not disturb credibility evaluations by an ALJ who observed the witnesses' demeanor." Turnbull Cone, 778 F.2d at 295 (quoting NLRB v. Baja's Place, 733 F.2d 416, 421 (6th Cir. 1984)). The Company does not provide this court with a reason to disturb the ALJ's credibility findings and the determination that Boraski's statement violated § 8(a) (1) of the NLRA in this instance.
The Board found that the Company violated § 8(a) (1) by stating that any negotiations would begin at zero. In his testimony before the ALJ, Boraski alleges that he said that employees could obtain more or less in wages and benefits than they currently had. While he does indicate that he put out a memo to this effect, he also testified that, in meetings with employees:
An employer's statement that after unionization bargaining will begin "from scratch" can be coercive, and therefore a violation of § 8(a) (1), depending on the context of the statement. See TRW-United Greenfield Div. v. NLRB, 637 F.2d 410, 420 (5th Cir. 1981). Coercive statements are those which indicate that the employer will adopt a regressive bargaining stance or lowered benefits to penalize workers for unionization, and are viewed in the context of other statements or actions by the employer. See id. at 421. Given the statements that Boraski himself admits to making and the atmosphere of anti-union animus at the Company, the Board's finding is clearly supported by substantial evidence.
General Fabrications does not address or take issue with the Board's conclusions regarding a number of violations of § 8(a) (1) and a violation of § 8(a) (3).As a result, the Company has "effectively admitted the truth of those findings." NLRB v. Kentucky May Coal Co., 89 F.3d 1235, 1241 (6th Cir. 1996). With regard to these unfair labor practices, the Board's Order is entitled to summary affirmance. See NLRB v. Autodie Int'l, Inc., 169 F.3d 378, 381 (6th Cir. 1999); NLRB v. Valley Plaza, Inc., 715 F.2d 237, 240-41 (6th Cir. 1983). These "uncontested violations . . . 'do not disappear altogether. They remain, lending their aroma to the context in which the contested issues are considered.'" NLRB v. Talsol Corp., 155 F.3d 785, 793 (6th Cir. 1998) (quoting NLRB v. Champion Laboratories, Inc., 99 F.3d 223, 227 (7th Cir. 1996)).
In general, " [a]n election is the preferred method of determining the choice by employees of a collective bargaining representative." United Servs. for the Handicapped v. NLRB, 678 F.2d 661, 664 (6th Cir. 1982). The Board may, in some circumstances, issue an order requiring an employer to bargain with the union as an alternative remedy for employer unfair labor practices. See Gissel Packing Co., 395 U.S. 575. The Board is within its discretion to issue a bargaining order either "in 'exceptional' cases marked by 'outrageous' and 'pervasive' unfair labor practices," whether or not the union has established majority status ("Category I" cases); or "less extraordinary cases marked by less pervasive practices which nonetheless still have the tendency to undermine majority strength and impede the election processes" and the union has shown majority support ("Category II" cases). Id. at 613-14. The Board held that General Fabrications's conduct fell at least within Category II. In Category II cases:
In order for us to enforce a bargaining order, the Board must show that(1) the Union has obtained authorization cards from the majority of employees in the bargaining unit without unfair practices or misrepresentation; (2) the employer has dissipated the Union's majority through the commission of Section 8(a) (1) violations; and (3) a fair election cannot be had under the circumstances of the case. See Taylor Machine, 136 F.3d at 518-19; Indiana Cal-Pro, Inc. v. NLRB, 863 F.2d 1292, 1300 (6th Cir. 1988).
Third, the Board sufficiently shows that a fair election cannot be held under all the circumstances of the case, considering the nature and quantity of the unfair labor practices committed by the Company, which occurred even after the union election in this case. We agree with the Board that General Fabrications has committed the kind of unfair labor practices - including numerous uncontested violations of § 8(a) (1) and violations that effected the entire workforce - which may merit a bargaining order. See V & S ProGalv, Inc. v. NLRB, 168 F.3d 270, 286 (6th Cir. 1999) (finding that a bargaining order "was the proper remedy where the Board found several violations of § 8(a) (1) and, as such, the likelihood of ensuring a fair election was slight"). The presence of "hallmark" violations of the Act further supports the issuance of a bargaining order. " [W]e have adhered to a somewhat less rigorous specificity requirement where the Board has presented substantial evidence of so-called "hallmark" violations, such as disciplinary discharge of union activists or actual or threatened plant closure." DTR Indus. Inc., 39 F.3d 106 at 113. In this case, the Company committed several hallmark violations. In the November 4 meeting, Boraski threatened not to bring any more work into the facility. This threat was then repeated by Garba. Also, Boraski made similar threats in different settings - such as the incident where he pulled out his keys and stated that he could close down the facility any time he wanted. Further, employees who supported the union were retaliated against. Mikolay, who admitted to Boraski that he had called the union in, was disciplined and suspended in violation of the Act; violations unchallenged by the Company on appeal. Three of the other four employees who signed union cards at the first meeting were either permanently laid off ordischarged. The Company committed violations of the NLRA against four of the seven who signed union cards at the second meeting, including three layoffs. See Indiana Cal-Pro, 863 F.2d at 1301 (upholding a bargaining order where the Board "relied on the relatively small size of the bargaining unit, the level of management involved, and the extensive and egregious unfair labor practices committed by the Company"). In light of the deference due to the Board's determination of the appropriate remedy, and our review which shows that the Board has meet the three factors established by our court to review a bargaining order, we find that the Board's bargaining order was properly issued. See V & S ProGalv, 168 F.3d at 286 (stating that "because the Board supported its reason for the bargaining order by citing to the violations made by [the employer], which were supported by testimony and facts, the Board's remedy should not be disturbed").
29 U.S.C. § 158(a) (4).
29 U.S.C. § 158(a) (5).