Opinion ID: 426204
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Transfer of Jo Ann Gray

Text: 37 Employee Jo Ann Gray was a group leader at the main Southaven plant where she worked in the shipping department. Gray was the most active group leader in support of the union during the heated organizing drive. Gray spoke out in favor of the union at several union meetings, met with the union's International representatives and wore pro-union t-shirts. On December 4, 1978, during the union drive, the company transferred Gray to the Memphis distribution center. The company concedes that the transfer was intended to curb Gray's pro-union activities among the larger group of employees at the Southaven plant. 38 The Board found that ITT violated Sections 8(a)(1) and (3) of the Act by transferring Jo Ann Gray. Those sections provide in relevant part that: 39 (a) It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer-- 40 (1) to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights guaranteed in section 157 of this title; ... 41 (3) by discrimination in regard to ... any term or condition of employment to encourage or discourage any membership in any labor organization.... 42 29 U.S.C. Sec. 158(a)(1) and (3). Congress, however, excluded supervisors from coverage of the Act and thus from protection against transfers for anti-union motivations. Supervisors are defined in Section 2(11) of the Act to be: 43 any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibly to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if in connection with the foregoing the exercise of such authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of independent judgment. 44 29 U.S.C. Sec. 152(11). The company maintains that Jo Ann Gray was a supervisor at the time when she was transferred. The ALJ and the Board found, however, that though she had the job title of group leader, Gray did not possess the authority to exercise supervisory functions. 45 Gray's status as a supervisor was an issue in a collateral proceeding involving the company's refusal to bargain with the union. The company challenged the certification of the union because the company claimed that 31 supervisors were unlawfully permitted to vote in the election. At the first level of review, the Hearing Officer found that the group leaders, including Jo Ann Gray, were all supervisors but that they were minor supervisors. On appeal, the Board found that there was sufficient uncontradicted evidence to show that fifteen group leaders were supervisors but that it was unnecessary to determine the status of the remaining sixteen group leaders (including Gray) since such a determination would not change the election results. 2 46 The company appealed the Board's findings to the Second Circuit, arguing that the remaining sixteen group leaders were supervisors. The Second Circuit remanded the case to the Board for further findings as to (1) the supervisory status of the sixteen group leaders; and (2) the extent of their prounion activity. ITT Lighting Fixtures v. NLRB, 658 F.2d 934 (2d Cir.1981). On remand, the Board determined that Jo Ann Gray did not possess any of the indicia of major supervisory authority identified by the Second Circuit while at the Southaven plant. (emphasis added). ITT Lighting Fixtures, Division of ITT Corp., 265 NLRB No. 188 at 11 (1982). 47 The Second Circuit has now completed its review of the collateral case by setting aside the union election. ITT Lighting Fixtures v. NLRB, 712 F.2d 40 (2d Cir.1983). The Second Circuit held, inter alia, that the Board had failed, after two opportunities, to formulate a comprehensible interpretation of the statutory definition of a supervisor. 48 After perceiving the Board's inconsistency and confusion on this issue in this and the collateral proceedings, and in the interests of comity and consistency of decision among the Circuits, we also reverse the Board. The decision of the Board that Ms. Gray was a supervisor is based on a set of vague and confusing standards which bear little resemblance to the statutory definition. The distinction between major and minor supervisors, for instance, does not provide any guidance nor is it based on the criteria in the statute. The Board argues before us that Ms. Gray was, without a doubt, a mere employee with no supervisory powers. Yet, the Board was incapable of establishing her status in the collateral proceeding until the Second Circuit, on remand, directed that the Board decide. The Board has failed to carry its burden of proving that the company unlawfully transferred Ms. Gray because the Board has not shown that Ms. Gray is, in fact, protected by the Act. 49 For the reasons discussed above, we uphold and enforce the Board's order as to employees Merriweather and Williams and reverse the order as to employee Gray.