Opinion ID: 1479263
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Discharge of Leonard Lugoff.

Text: The findings of fact of the Board contain the following: Under the circumstances we are impelled to the conclusion, as was the Trial Examiner, that Lugoff was discharged not because of the reasons advanced by the respondent but because of his activities in behalf of the Guild. We find that the respondent, by discharging Leonard Lugoff on March 30, 1940, discriminated in regard to his hire and tenure of employment, thereby discouraging membership in the Guild and interfering with, restraining, and coercing its employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7 of the Act. In considering this question it should be emphasized that the right to terminate a contract of employment is a constitutional right of the utmost importance. The mere discharge of an employee with or without reason is therefore not evidence of intent to affect labor unions or the rights of employees under the National Labor Relations Act. That there must be more than mere discharge is clearly recognized by the Board in its findings concerning the discharge of Lugoff. We merely quoted the conclusions at which the Board arrived. The conclusion is preceded by a discussion of the evidence and an argument based thereon occupies thirteen pages of the findings. The argument contained in the findings is based upon the proposition that Lugoff, shortly before his discharge, circulated a petition for the inclusion in the Guild of employees in the classified advertising department. It should be stated that no other employee was discharged because of the petition although it was prepared by another employee who was very active in the union. We find no substantial evidence of discrimination in the discharge of Lugoff. Circumstances that merely raise a suspicion that an employer may be activated by unlawful motives are not sufficiently substantial to support a finding. The fact that a discharged employee may be engaged in labor union activities at the time of his discharge, taken alone, is no evidence at all of a discharge as the result of such activities. There must be more than this to constitute substantial evidence. The employer advanced as the reason for the discharge that Lugoff was an inefficient employee. He had been in the employ of the company since September 1932. He had been discharged for low production in his department in August 1938. This was after the respondent had entered into a contract with the Guild settling the strike, June 30, 1938. Lugoff did not go out on the strike. For that reason he was expelled from the Guild. In seeking reemployment by the respondent Lugoff contended that he should not be worse off than the strikers who had been restored to employment. He was reemployed and was furnished a written statement dated August 22, 1938, stating, You will be retained in the present position with final decision to be made on January 1, 1939. The intervening period will be probationary. In view of the fact that Lugoff was not discharged until May 30, 1940, the Board contends that the claim of respondent that his discharge was pursuant to the agreement under which he was reinstated must be rejected. Even if this be true it does not establish the cause of discharge or justify a finding of unfair labor practice. Inasmuch as we hold there is no substantial evidence to support any of the claims of unfair labor practice, it follows that the conduct of the respondent cannot be held to have affecteed interstate commerce within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act. Order set aside.