Opinion ID: 2974119
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Conform to Requirements of the Act

Text: 9 Guardian points to the fact that the Union, after filing its initial petition, twice changed its position regarding the appropriate bargaining units. It argues that these changes were made in an effort to obtain NLRB approval of bargaining units in which the Union would have the greatest chance of winning representation elections. The fact that the NLRB upheld the separate bargaining units and separate elections demanded by the Union demonstrates, according to Guardian, that, contrary to § 9(c)(5) of the Act, the NLRB relied exclusively, or at least too heavily, on the extent to which the employees had organized themselves prior to the approval of the petition. See 29 U.S.C. § 159(c)(5) (“In determining whether a unit is appropriate for the purposes specified in subsection (b) of this section the extent to which the employees have organized shall not be controlling.”). Employee organization is one of the factors that may be taken into account in determining the appropriate bargaining units, although it is not dispositive of the issue. See id.; see also Metro. Life Ins. Co., 380 U.S. at 442. But the record contains no evidence that the NLRB actually took employee organization into account here, and the fact that the Union repeatedly changed its position as to the bargaining units it wanted certified does not, without more, demonstrate that the NLRB gave undue weight to that factor. Guardian argues further that the Board’s decision did not comport with the requirement that the decision “effectuate the Act’s policy of efficient collective bargaining.” See Catherine McAuley, 885 F.2d at 344. However, Guardian points to no particulars and provides no explanation to support this claim. This objection is without merit.