Opinion ID: 385886
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the termination of ann gabler

Text: 32 Ann Gabler was an education reporter with the Times. During the Union election campaign she decided to return to school to become a paramedic. On several occasions in December 1976, she asked Times managers if she could continue as a part-time worker after beginning school in mid-January. On December 6, 1976, Managing Editor Andrews told her that he thought something could be worked out. On the next day, City Editor Todd indicated that he could use her on Saturdays. According to testimony credited by the ALJ, on the same day, General Manager Tobin told her that her plan to work part-time would be fine. Gabler again discussed the question with Andrews in early January and received an indication that it could be worked out. 33 Sunday Editor Michael Doogan testified that shortly before Gabler was due to stop working full-time he asked Andrews if she could work for him on Saturday nights. Andrews replied, We don't know where she is on this union business. She tells (Tobin) one thing and other people something else. He instructed Doogan to find out what her Union sentiments were. Thereafter Andrews told Gabler that she could not work part-time, although he indicated that there might be a position after the election. She replied that if she were still working she would vote for the Union and, according to Gabler's testimony, Andrews replied that elections are won or lost by a single vote. Finally, the Personnel Manager testified that the Times management had placed Gabler's name on the undecided list regarding her Union sentiments. 34 The pendency of a union representation election does not prevent management from carrying on its business in the normal fashion. A company may continue to make business decisions for good reasons, for bad reasons, or for no reasons at all, so long as the decisions are not motivated by anti-union discrimination or a desire to punish activities protected by the Act. L'Eggs Products, Inc., 619 F.2d at 1341. An employer is free to terminate 9 an employee unless anti-union animus is the moving or but for cause. See NLRB v. Adams Delivery Service, Inc., 623 F.2d at 99; Stephenson v. NLRB, 614 F.2d 1210, 1213 (9th Cir. 1980); Western Exterminator Co. v. NLRB, 565 F.2d 1114, 1118 (9th Cir. 1977). The General Counsel bears the burden of proving that the discharge was in violation of the Act. See NLRB v. Adams Delivery Service, Inc., 623 F.2d at 99. The Board must base the finding on more than a mere circumstantial inference drawn from a general history of anti-union activities by the Company. NLRB v. Best Products Co., Inc., 618 F.2d 70, 74 (9th Cir. 1980). 35 In this case the ALJ credited the testimony of Gabler and Doogan and found that the employee's position regarding the Union was a critical factor in management's decision not to honor her request for part-time employment. He found that she would have been offered the part-time job if management had been certain that she took an anti-Union stance. Thus, the ALJ concluded and the Board agreed, that the Company impermissibly based the employment decision upon Gabler's failure to express an anti-union preference, in violation of § 8(a)(3) of the Act. This finding is supported by substantial evidence and will not be overturned.