Opinion ID: 717843
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Employee Conversation: The Gag Order

Text: 39 Employee conversation generally cannot be restricted during work hours so as to prevent discussion about the union while allowing other topics to be discussed. NLRB v. Olympic Medical Corp., 608 F.2d 762, 763-764 (9th Cir.1979); Visador Co., 303 NLRB 1039, 1041-1042 (1991). However, an employer may restrict campaigning in order to maintain productivity. Ohmite Mfg. Co., 290 NLRB 1036, 1045 (1988); Adco Elec. Inc., 307 NLRB 1113, 1118 (1992). 40 In the case at bar, the record substantially supports the Board's findings that AutoZone promulgated an unlawfully restrictive gag rule on February 11, 1993 and that it implemented the rule through subsequent warnings and admonitions to employees. In early February, Supervisor Schlichting threatened employee Wilson with discharge if he were caught discussing the Union on the job. On February 11, some union supporters protested AutoZone's practice of permitting employee worktime anti-union statements while prohibiting pro-union statements. AutoZone responded with a blanket gag rule prohibiting any worktime talk about the Union, but continued to permit employees to engage in worktime conversations about other topics. 41 AutoZone continued to implement its policy in mid-February. Supervisor Cunningham told employees that anyone talking for or against the Union would be terminated, and Supervisor Hurley told employees that they did not need to be talking about the Union. In addition, Supervisor Schlichting told employee Andrews that he was not to discuss union issues on company time. 42 Moreover, as the ALJ noted, the promulgation of this gag rule was unnecessarily restrictive and therefore unlawful. There is no evidence that Union discussion affected production. As the ALJ noted and as reflected by the record, any alleged productivity problem resulted from the employees leaving their work stations and interfering with the work of others, not the topic of conversation.