Opinion ID: 468822
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Written Warning of May 20.

Text: 21 On May 18, Evans mentioned to several black employees that he had heard a rumor that a white employee was being groomed for a supervisory position over a recently promoted black employee. Evans suggested that the black employees meet with management concerning this situation. As a result of Evans's passing this rumor, on May 20, the Company issued him a written warning. 22 The ALJ found that the Company had not violated the Act because a review of the evidence indicated that Evans disrupted the work of at least four production employees who brought the matter to the attention of their supervisors. By a two-to-one decision, the Board disagreed, finding that Evans's remarks were protected concerted activity because the remarks related to group action concerning possible racial discrimination in the work place. See Frank Briscoe, Inc. v. NLRB, 637 F.2d 946, 949 (3d Cir.1981); Keokuk Gas Service Co. v. NLRB, 580 F.2d 328, 333 (8th Cir.1978). The Board also disagreed with the ALJ that Evans's remarks disrupted production. The Board noted that only two of the employees complained to management and that Evans's comments would not reasonably tend to incite employees or impede production. 23 On appeal, the Company asserts that Evans is a racist who only became active in the Union after losing a promotion to a black employee. The Board contests this characterization and argues that Evans was merely trying to advocate that unionization might help black employees settle racial difficulties at the plant. It further responds that Evans's motivation is irrelevant because he was engaging in a protected activity. NLRB v. Parr Lance Ambulance Service, 723 F.2d 575, 578 (7th Cir.1983). In addition, it asserts that little weight should be given the testimony, relied on by the ALJ, of a black employee who stated that another black employee got so upset over Evans's remarks that he refused overtime work. 24 Our review of the record reveals substantial evidence to support the Board's view that Evans's comments were not the sort of egregious racial rhetoric that is likely to interfere with the employees' free choice in Board-conducted representation elections, in violation of the Board rule set forth in Sewell Manufacturing Co., 138 NLRB 66, 71 (1962), but instead were permissible comments relevant to existing racial conditions in the plant. See NLRB v. Eurodrive, Inc., 724 F.2d 556, 559 (6th Cir.1984); NLRB v. Utell Intern., Inc., 750 F.2d 177, 179 (2d Cir.1984). Accordingly, we enforce the Board's finding. 25